NEW DOCUMENTARY “FIGHTING FOR FERTILITY” EXPLORES BARRIERS TO REPRODUCTION

The one-hour film intimately follows the journeys of people navigating fertility challenges from structural inequalities and racism to falling sperm counts, egg freezing, and IVF

New parents, Erin and Gary Levin, gently play with their newborn daughter, Elizabeth, in their San Jose backyard. A gestational surrogate carried Elizabeth through birth. She is also the result of a mosaic embryo. PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Fischer

On May 12, 2021, the PBS science series NOVA, a production of GBH Boston, will premiere FIGHTING FOR FERTILITY, a film examining the complexities of reproduction and the emerging science and technologies that can assist those who are struggling to have children. Featuring experts from across the medical community, FIGHTING FOR FERTILITY (FFF) encourages prospective parents to have an open dialogue about the realities and challenges of starting a family.

As hopeful, would-be parents share their quests to have a child; this documentary offers an unfiltered look at a growing health crisis many in our country face: infertility. With about one in ten adult Americans who have infertility and approximately 160,000 turning to in-vitro fertilization — or IVF — each year, the film aims to highlight the struggles often associated with trying to have one’s biological children.

Family Building and Infertility Impact All Backgrounds