This Month
Why the idea of a ‘fertility cliff’ at 35 is not totally true
Doctors and researchers say that many women see their mid-30s as a tipping point. But getting pregnant hinges on a complex array of factors.
China’s latest bid to boost birth rates: make condoms more expensive
The new levy reflects a broader policy pivot, as a rapidly ageing China shifts from limiting births to encouraging people to have more children.
September
Richer, older, lonelier: 5 charts that show how Australia has changed
The latest HILDA survey highlights cost-of-living pressures, the widening gap between renters and home owners, shifting family choices, and rising isolation.
Is your suburb becoming a baby desert? (And should you care?)
A NSW minister warns Sydney’s richest suburbs could become child-free zones in come years. But do his concerns hold up?
How a big family became the ultimate status symbol
A mark of uber-wealth in 2025 is children – lots of them – all while preserving a pre-parenthood lifestyle, interests and physique.
August
Aldous Huxley was right about eugenics
In his novel “Brave New World”, human beings are designed as cogs in the industrial machine. Advances in genetic engineering mean that future might not be far away.
Monash IVF investigation blames human error for embryo mix-ups
The ASX-listed fertility giant has told shareholders that an independent review found IT problems were also responsible for a second incident at its Melbourne clinic.
Do we need to bring back the baby bonus?
Senior writer Myriam Robin on how worried we should be about declining fertility rates and why politicians in Australia are so reluctant to talk about it.
July
Can Australia escape the global fertility crisis?
Not too long ago, the world was worried about runaway population growth. But with birth rates falling too fast, the scramble is on to avoid the demographic crunch.
June
Monash IVF’s second-in-charge quietly departed to rival before embryo scandal
The embattled company found time to sue Hamish Hamilton last Thursday. Impressive, given its CEO quit the same day and its share price was collapsing.
IVF patients share horror stories amid Monash embryo bungle
The revelation of a second mix-up at a Monash IVF clinic this week has led to renewed calls for greater industry regulation.
Monash IVF CEO resigns after second embryo mix-up
Chief executive Michael Knaap has resigned days after the embattled fertility company admitted to a second embryo error in just three months.
Monash IVF admits to second embryo transfer bungle this year
Shares in the fertility services group, the largest in the country, have fallen by half since the first incident was disclosed two months ago.
Monash IVF’s Richard Davis and injections where they shouldn’t be
The board of the ASX-listed fertility clinic disclosed a second embryo disaster on Tuesday.
May
Health start-up Eucalyptus to ditch Woolworths, cash in on Wegovy online
The $560 million company will sack staff and stop selling products at Woolworths and Priceline and concentrate on selling weight-loss drugs online in Europe and Asia.
April
Monash IVF disaster shows board’s market insensitivity
Giving a client the wrong embryo and not realising until well after the child is born seems like it should be a big deal to the board.
January
Having children is being ranked against other choices – and losing
With the fertility rate falling across the West, there is much more affecting parents’ decisions than the economy.
How Israeli families are making fathers of their dead
In the eight months following the Hamas terrorist attack, sperm has been retrieved from around 170 young men in Israel.
December 2024
‘Courses in love’: China steps up campaign to promote marriage, babies
Universities have been asked to educate single students on relationships and regular articles appear in state media about the benefits of having children.
August 2024
IVF breakthrough shows AI just as good as humans, and much faster
A world-first study led by Australian researchers found an AI-powered embryo selection tool led to a similar number of pregnancies as human embryologists.