Tracking pregnancies: why it’s important

A majority of families using donor conception do not report births after the fact. This has a tremendous impact on the industry -- for example, the numbers of offspring born to a sperm donor, and even to egg donors, are generally vastly underreported, and if there is a genetic abnormality that surfaces in later years, families cannot be notified. In this show, American Fertility Association board member Patricia Mendell, who is also a New York-based fertility counselor, talks about regulations in the fertility industry today. What do we need to do differently? Why are changes coming so slowly? What can Choice Moms do, as a sizeable share of the fertility industry market, to make a difference? In light of the aftermath of the octuplets birth in California to a woman who already had six children, how should regulations, ethics and counseling play a role? She also shares resources to help women become more educated consumers. This show was sponsored by Fertility Cryobank.