the Old & the Fertile

When my mother first retired, many years ago now, she became addicted to an American soap-opera that screens here in the late afternoon. It got so bad that she would have to be home by 4.30 everyday, or she'd make my dad watch it for her and tell her what happened. I'm pleased to say she finally regained her sanity, but ever since we both like to check in every now and again then ring eachother and laugh over the latest outrageous plot. Well.....! Yesterday I was laid up with a chemical-induced headache and caught up with arguably the most ridiculous plot to date. Boy that's a big call, maybe not the most, but certainly up there in the Top 10.

A woman [lets call her Taylor] has recently given birth to a son using IVF with donor eggs, when she discovers that there was a mix-up at the lab and the wrong donor was used. If that was not bad enough - she learns that the donor, 'the biological mother of her son', is none other than her worst enemy [lets call her Brooke, or That Slut for short] and her husbands ex-wife!!!! But the most annoyingly ridiculous part of this whole storyline is that both women must be in their late 40s. Both of them have multiple adult children - the Doctor who made the mistake in the lab is the donor's daughter for heaven's sake!

Then...! This morning while I was waiting in the supermarket queue I noticed a TV magazine in the stand next to me with a headline that read something like "Brooke forces Taylor to give up baby". I don't think I can even raise a giggle over this one.

All the IVF clinics throughout the world should band together in a class action against all unrealistic portrayals of IVF and infertility on TV. I mean, seriously, as if there isn't enough drama involved in the real thing anyway. Give us a break!