Local Babies, Global Science Chapters 6,7

1. Age is a major factor, many patients seek treatment into their 40's where fertility naturally declines.

2. Repetition, the fewer I.V.F attempts, the lower the success rates.

3. The way clinics present their success rates, often removing older women's stats creating an "illusion" of high success.

4. The lack of a universal definition of a "successful pregnancy" ( the true take home baby rate is 17%)

5. Egypt's large amount of medical schools and trained physicians creates the ideal that Egypt is the best place in the middle East to receive I.V.F

6. N.R.T's tend to be carried out on women's bodies even when the pathology is in the male.

7. Women are the "embodiment" of I.V.F through their inevitable daily injections, blood draws and ultrasound scans.

8. All test tube babies are delivered via C-Section due to the high risk nature of the pregnancies.

9. Men suffer as well, are also exposed to medication side effects and worry about passing on their "weakness" of sperm to their offspring.

10. 75% of Inhorn's interviewee's suffered from male infertility. Heavy smoking, exposure to heavy metals and toxins are common amongst Egyptian men.

11. Poor women tend to be exposed to outdated and dangerous medical treatments for infertility that lead to scaring, infection and infertility.

12. "Shots, sprays and suppositories" and their side effects are viewed as a "necessary evil".

13. Factors effecting the efficacy of Egyptian I.V.F

14. European doctors with little vested in Middle Eastern women

15. Non specialists competing over I.V.F patients

16. Physicians who "entice" patients with inflated success rates

17. Lack of governmental regulations in private practice clinics

17.1. Egyptian doctors selling "false hope" where 70-80% of I.V.F patients will NOT become pregnant.