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Cash Cow
- Author
- Alev Scott
- Narrator
- Alev Scott
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 26 February 2026
- Run Time
- 7 hours 7 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Ethical issues: scientific, technological and medical developments, Feminism and feminist theory, Reproductive medicine, Capitalism, Medical ethics and professional conduct, Ethics and moral philosophy, Health economics, Popular economics, Women’s health, Law and society, gender issues
- Rating
- 5.0 (1 review)
What to expect
*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
Critics Review
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‘A powerful, intimate and disturbing exploration of the hidden markets built on women’s bodies. Alev Scott has written a book that will change the way you think about family, fertility and the future.’ Professor Peter Frankopan
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'Fascinating, original and shocking.' Mary Ann Sieghart, author of The Authority Gap
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'Cash Cow is an eye-opening exploration of how surrogacy has grown to become a multibillion-dollar global industry with almost no public scrutiny. 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
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'A brilliant and compelling book, and one which should be read by anyone associated with mothering and fertility – that is, everyone.' Rebecca Seal, author of SOLO
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'The depth and care of Alev's reporting is unmatched.' Sirin Kale
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'Well-researched facts about the industry are balanced by detailed perspectives from mothers, surrogates, egg donors, lawyers, and medical professionals. […] A clear-eyed, humane view of a difficult subject, with bibliographic notes included. Valuable reading for those interested in the fertility industry' Kara Watts-Engley
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
- No written reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Alev Scott
- Narrator
- Alev Scott
- Duration
- 7 hours 7 minutes
- Release Date
- 26 February 2026
- ISBN
- 9780008724979
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Ethical issues: scientific, technological and medical developments, Feminism and feminist theory, Reproductive medicine, Capitalism, Medical ethics and professional conduct, Ethics and moral philosophy, Health economics, Popular economics, Women’s health, Law and society, gender issues
- Rating
- 5.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
*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
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