Investigating what to do with her excess breastmilk, Alev Scott stumbled upon ''Tinder for breastmilk'' OnlytheBreast.com and an immensely profitable - yet completely unregulated - industry. Combined with demands for egg freezing, IVF and surrogacy being at an all-time high, Big Fertility is now worth an estimated $54 billion. Never has the maternal body been such a commodity. Speaking to those who both profit from and participate in the global breastmilk, IVF and surrogacy industries - including a man who buys breastmilk to help his IBS, a professional wetnurse, an unpaid surrogate and an owner of a multi-million-pound fertility company - Alev seeks to answer the controversial question: who should make money from the maternal body? Only women, anyone - or no one? A fascinating and thorough piece of investigative journalism, Cash Cow is the first deep dive into how these hugely profitable industries operate; the ethical, legal and economic implications; and, ultimately, what they mean for women around the world.

Autorentext

Alev Scott is an author and journalist for publications including the Times, Sunday Times, Guardian, New Statesman and Huffington Post. Her previous books focus on Turkish, Greek and Ottoman history, while her radio and TV work includes the BBC's World Service, Today Programme and Woman's Hour.

Klappentext

A Radio 4 Book of the Week

'Captivating, mind-boggling and deeply disturbing' - Maureen Freely

'Humane, thoughtful and urgent - this book will make you think, make you laugh, make you cry, but also make you burn with rage' - Dr Mary Wellesley

A thought-provoking deep dive into the global fertility industry and the commodification of the maternal body

Should surrogacy be a paid service, an altruistic act - or even legal at all?

Is it right that you can pay more for 'VIP' egg donors - and to view their photos?

How much, if anything, should breastmilk cost - and who should be allowed to buy it?

The global fertility industry is rapidly growing, hugely profitable and morally complex. This an industry where one person's biological bad luck can be another person's financial gain. From egg freezing to black-market breastmilk, the maternal body has never been more commodified, yet the ethical, emotional and economic implications are rarely considered.

Through a combination of undercover reporting and detailed first-hand accounts Alev Scott exposes how the IVF, surrogacy and milk industries operate around the world and who is profiting. In doing so, she considers the blurred line between exploitation and empowerment. Who should make money from the maternal body: only the women themselves, anyone or no one?

Timely, thought-provoking and compelling, Cash Cow is an unmissable investigation into how desire, desperation and commerce intersect, and the impact the fertility industry has on individuals.

'A powerful, intimate and disturbing exploration of the hidden markets built on women's bodies' Professor Peter Frankopan

'An absolute must read for anyone considering surrogacy; a compelling and thought-provoking book for everyone else' Jack Farchy, co-author of The World for Sale