---
title: Learning the Hard Way that Science Has Not Outsmarted Mother Nature
date: 2013-04-26T22:58:50-04:00
author: OBOS Admin
canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-learning-the-hard-way-that-science-has-not-outsmarted-mother-nature"
section: "Stories & Conversations"
---
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[Stories & Conversations](/stories-conversations)# Learning the Hard Way that Science Has Not Outsmarted Mother Nature

By Miriam Zoll

*Miriam shares her story of delaying motherhood until age 40. She notes that she and her partner were excited about the possibilites of reproductive technology. They tried six cycles of IVF to no avail. This experience inspired her to do research where she learned that "the vast majority of assisted reproductive technologies fail." She hopes that through her blog and public speaking, she can educate others about the realities of reproductive technology.*

My name is Miriam. I am one of those women who delayed motherhood until the age of 40. I was fit and healthy, ate well and practiced yoga. I had no idea that trying to become pregnant would be so difficult.

Since I was a teenager I had been bombarded by cultural and media messages that said it was okay to postpone childbearing. I wasn’t aware that women’s fertility declined so rapidly after the age of 35, and dramatically more after the age of 40. Everywhere I looked in popular culture I saw images and news clips of older women having babies. I thought I could, too.

Shortly after my husband and I began trying to conceive, we learned that I had endometrial cysts on my ovaries. Those were removed surgically and after another year of trying to become pregnant we decided to sign up for fertility treatments. There was such an optimistic buzz about the promise of reproductive technologies, and everyone in our immediate circle– health care providers, colleagues, family and friends­­–optimistically encouraged us on our journey.

Despite my age and our doctor’s suggestion that we immediately try donor eggs or adoption, my husband and I plunged forward with IVF treatments. The success stories were so compelling we truly believed they would work, regardless of the odds that seemed to be stacked against us. Like millions of people facing a diagnosis of infertility, after the first two IVF cycles failed, we sunk into some kind of psychological denial and eagerly signed up for more treatments.

When the fourth cycle failed, the doctor recommended we try donor eggs. That was an extremely painful decision to make because it meant I would never birth a child I was genetically related to. I suffered enormous depression at this time, and when I somewhat recovered, my husband and I chose a 21 year old donor from a reputable agency.

Believe it or not she turned out be infertile due to a genetic disease. We then selected a second donor who was also infertile. You can imagine our devastation. Not only were we coming to terms with the unavoidable diagnosis of age-related infertility, we were also realizing that the promise of the science was far less than we had been led to believe and that there were no consumer protections in place.

It was only after I completed treatments that I began to research aspects of the industry that are not reported in the media and began to write my book, "Cracked Open: Liberty, Fertility and the Pursuit of High Tech Babies." The fact is, in the United States, there is virtually no oversight of any aspect of the industry, and few if any long-term studies tracking the health of women undergoing treatments or the babies born from them. The only requirement is the Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act of 1992­­–a “law” that loosely mandates clinics to report their annual “success rates” to the Centers for Disease Control.

In the course of my research I discovered that the vast majority of assisted reproductive technologies fail. Around the globe in 2012, approximately 1.5 million ART cycles were performed, with an estimated 1.1 million failed cycles (76.7 percent). In 2010 in the United States, the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control reveals that of the estimated 150,000 ART cycles conducted, approximately 103,000 (68.6 percent) failed.

It is my hope that by speaking publicly about the six failed cycles I experienced–and the physical and psychological risks and traumas that accompanied them–others will begin to speak out, as well. Generating more balanced discussions about these technologies will hopefully help people avoid involuntary childlessness due to a lack of transparency from the industry, and misinformation disseminated in the popular culture.

![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)Topics

- [ pregnancy & birth](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/subject-area/pregnancy-birth)
- [ sexual anatomies & sexual health](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/subject-area/sexual-anatomies-sexual-health)
- [ infertility](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/themes/infertility)
- [infertility](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/infertility)
- [reproductive technologies](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/reproductive-technologies)

![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)### *Why You Can* **Trust Us** 

- We rigorously evaluate all content
- We embrace a reproductive justice framework
- We don’t accept ads or sell products
- We reject funding from the pharmaceutical industry
- We counter misinformation and disinformation
- We address the social, political, and economic factors that affect health and sexuality

[read more](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/why-you-can-trust-us)

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##### More to Explore

[Stories & ConversationsRead

## Healing From Years of Infertility and Loss

A woman shares her six year journey with infertility, including attempts to become pregnant through IUI and IVF. After several losses, she had a daughter via IVF using a donor egg.

![infertility](data:image/png;base64,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)

A woman shares her six year journey with infertility, including attempts to become pregnant through IUI and IVF. After several losses, she had a daughter via IVF using a donor egg.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-healing-from-years-of-infertility-and-loss)

[ResourcesWatch

## How In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Works

This video discusses how in vitro fertilization (IVF) works from a scientific perspective.

![How in vitro fertilization IVF works scaled jpeg](data:image/png;base64,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)

This video discusses how in vitro fertilization (IVF) works from a scientific perspective.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/how-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf-works)

[Stories & ConversationsRead

## Why Were Other Women Pregnant and Not Me?

A woman shares her story of infertility and how she stopped trusting her body, even though she was eventually able to conceive a child.

![A woman cries over a pregnancy test](data:image/png;base64,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)

A woman shares her story of infertility and how she stopped trusting her body, even though she was eventually able to conceive a child.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-why-were-other-women-pregnant-and-not-me)

[Stories & ConversationsWatch

## Dealing with Infertility

ES describes her journey of infertility as she and her husband tried to get pregnant and a painful procedure with a male doctor while seeking a diagnosis.

![Elena](data:image/png;base64,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)

ES describes her journey of infertility as she and her husband tried to get pregnant and a painful procedure with a male doctor while seeking a diagnosis.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-dealing-with-infertility)

[Stories & ConversationsRead

## Nature Does Not Work on Our Time Clock

Kathleen shares her story of struggling with infertility. She discusses coming to terms with the reality that they may not have a child of their own but remains hopeful.

![Infertility Signs Symptoms and Causes scaled jpeg](data:image/png;base64,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)

Kathleen shares her story of struggling with infertility. She discusses coming to terms with the reality that they may not have a child of their own but remains hopeful.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-nature-does-not-work-on-our-time-clock)

[Stories & ConversationsWatch

## Discovering I Had Stage Four Endometriosis

CB discusses trying different medicines to treat her period to no avail. After a laparoscopic exam, she learned that she has stage four endometriosis.

![Carlisa](data:image/png;base64,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)

CB discusses trying different medicines to treat her period to no avail. After a laparoscopic exam, she learned that she has stage four endometriosis.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-discovering-i-had-stage-four-endometriosis)

[Stories & ConversationsListen

## Loving Relationships and Vulvovaginal Pain

In this podcast episode, a married couple shares how they navigate their sexual and emotional relationship when penetration causes vulvovaginal pain.

![Two hands clasped together with flowers](data:image/png;base64,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)

In this podcast episode, a married couple shares how they navigate their sexual and emotional relationship when penetration causes vulvovaginal pain.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/loving-relationships-and-vulvovaginal-pain)

[ResourcesRead

## Infertility Signs, Symptoms, and Causes

This article discusses infertility, how common it is, and what causes infertility in cis women, cis men, and trans people using hormones.

![A table in a doctor's office with a stethoscope, model of a uterus, ultrasound images, and blocks that spell out infertility](data:image/png;base64,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)

This article discusses infertility, how common it is, and what causes infertility in cis women, cis men, and trans people using hormones.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/infertility-signs-symptoms-and-causes)