Sex cells : the medical market for eggs and sperm / Rene Almeling.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Almeling, Rene, 1977-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Artificial insemination, Human--Economic aspects.

Artificial insemination, Human.

Artificial insemination, Human--Moral and ethical aspects.

Infertility--Treatment--Economic aspects.

Infertility.

Surrogate motherhood--Economic aspects.

Surrogate motherhood.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (240 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Berkeley : University of California Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Unimaginable until the twentieth century, the clinical practice of transferring eggs and sperm from body to body is now the basis of a bustling market. In Sex Cells, Rene Almeling provides an inside look at how egg agencies and sperm banks do business. Although both men and women are usually drawn to donation for financial reasons, Almeling finds that clinics encourage sperm donors to think of the payments as remuneration for an easy "job." Women receive more money but are urged to regard egg donation in feminine terms, as the ultimate "gift" from one woman to another. Sex Cells shows how the gendered framing of paid donation, as either a job or a gift, not only influences the structure of the market, but also profoundly affects the individuals whose genetic material is being purchased.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part One. Organizing the Market

Part Two. Experiencing the Market

Appendix A: Egg and Sperm Donors' Characteristics at Time of Interview

Appendix B: Demographics of Donors Based on Profiles at Egg and Sperm Donation Programs

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613278463

9781283278461

1283278464

9780520950221

0520950224

OCLC:

747409503