MACMILLAN IVF and Assisted Reproduction: A Global History

This is the first transnational history of IVF and assisted reproduction. It is a key text for scholars and students in social science, history, science and technology studies (STS), cultural studies, and gender and sexuality studies, and a resource for journalists, policymakers, and anyone interested in assisted reproduction. IVF was seen as revolutionary in 1978 when the first two IVF babies were born, in the UK and India. Assisted reproduction has now contributed to the birth of around ten million people. The book traces the work of IVF teams as they developed new techniques and laid the foundations of a multi-billion-dollar industry. It analyses the changing definitions and experience of infertility, the markets for eggs and children through surrogacy, cross-border reproductive treatment, and the impact of regulation. Using interviews with leading IVF figures, archives, media reports, and the latest science, it is a vital addition to the field of reproduction studies.   ‘This pathbreaking account of the global forces behind the rapid rise of the fertility industry is the first to offer such a truly comprehensive overview of this hugely important topic.’  ―Sarah Franklin, Chair of Sociology, University of Cambridge  ‘In this compelling overview of one of the most significant technological and social interventions ever developed, the cultural and scientific imaginaries of assisted reproduction meet the obdurate histories of laboratory experiments, biological materials, and personal quests. It is an indispensable read for anyone interested in IVF and assisted reproduction.’  ―Andrea Whittaker, Professor of Anthropology, Monash University   Review “The book is well structured, informative, blending local analysis with local storytelling. … As a scholar with an interest in AR, I enjoyed reading the book. I have learned new facts … . As a result of this reading, my understanding of AR’s history is now grounded on more data and well-rounded … . The book can be an assigned reading to teach advanced undergraduate seminars or graduate classes on AR’s social and political aspects … .” (Andrea Boggio, Monash Bioethics Review, Vol. 39, 2021) “Each of the seven chapters has a rich section of references and notes that are very much worth looking at in detail. ... The book can be of interest to a wide audience. ... information useful to those who are new to the field of reproduction studies and also to those more established. ... Here the reader will find an extensive list of scholarly literature … . It also works as a case study book.” (Sandra Patricia Gonzalez Santos, Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online, Vol. 14, March, 2022) “IVF and Assisted Reproduction: A Global History manages to give voice to the complexity and depth of its subject area while also providing a sense of the global and national contexts … . Ferber, Marks and Mackie have provided an impressive overview of the history of IVF and assisted reproduction that is readable and empirically detailed. Their book provides the reader with a broad familiarity with the multiple global forces that have driven the continual development of these technologies.” (Erica Millar, Australian Historical Studies, January 24, 2022) “Commanding an enormous literature in a relatively short book, they give a sober-minded and clearly written overview of the techno-scientific, medical, political, cultural, and economic history … . the book’s clear and balanced exposition, divided with helpful section headers, makes it a pleasant and engaging read. It should be especially useful to historians of technology who are unfamiliar with IVF or its global context, and could work well in conjunction with narrative history/anthropology or primary sources for undergraduate instruction.” (Lara Freidenfelds, Technology and Culture, Vol. 63 (1), January, 2022) Review ‘This pathbreaking account of the global forces behind the rapid rise