This Month
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.
As a childless man, a new coffee machine is my priority
A Londoner admits his life mirrors the no-kids stereotype criticised by Republican JD Vance: an obsession with food, wine and coffee beans
July 2024
If this law graduate has two children, she will be exceptional
Claudia McDonnell, 24, belongs to the most childless generation of Australian women in modern history.
Me, my niece and a generational shift in thinking about babies
The “happy accidents” that led to so many families having three or more children are a lot less likely to happen now.
May 2024
How the world went from baby boom to baby bust
Helping people have the children they want in ways that fit with their plans should be a focus of policy. It is essential to help women combine careers with children.
Menopause hormone therapy is OK after all, long-term study finds
Since a study in 2002 was called off, women have been reluctant to take hormones. But a new study has reassuring news for women under 60.
April 2024
Ozempic ‘oops’ babies spark debate as users fall pregnant
Some women on weight-loss drugs who have struggled with fertility issues are now expecting children, leading to questions about the safety of such medications.
March 2024
Aussie IVF guru plans Nasdaq listing
GenEmbryomics founder Nick Murphy invented a test to screen embryos for genetic disorders. He wants to go public in the US, where the company’s customers live.
February 2024
South Korea’s fertility crisis could shift regional power balances
The Asian nation has the worst fertility rate in the world. Without radical changes, sustaining the country’s formidable military posture will become impossible.