Babies on Demand: Reproduction in a Technological Age

At the beginning of the 19th century women in the United States had an average of seven or eight children. By 1900 they had only three or four, and today 35% of Americans have exactly two children. How did this happen? This episode of Distillations explores the role technology has played in reproduction, and how it has affected the ethical and moral landscape that surrounds it. First, reporter Allison Quantz talks to her sister to find out what she plans to do with her extra frozen embryos. Along the way Quantz learns that there are more than one million frozen embryos in the United States with similar uncertain futures. Then we talk with Deanna Day, a historian of medicine and technology and a post-doctoral fellow at CHF, and Lara Freidenfelds, a historian who writes about women’s health, sex, and reproduction in America. SHOW CLOCK: 00:03 Introduction 01:46 A tale of unused embryos 11:35 Interview with Deanna Day and Lara Freidenfelds CREDITS: Hosts: Michal Meyer and Bob Kenworthy Guests: Deanna Day and Lara Freidenfelds Reporter: Allison Quantz Producer & Editor: Mariel Carr Music courtesy of Audio Network and the Free Music Archive.   Check out Distillations magazine at distillations.org, where you'll find articles, videos, and our podcast.