As In Vitro Fertilization Advances, Investors Look For Growth

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has rapidly gained popularity in several countries across the globe as the practice helps countless women conceive.

The industry has evolved over the past few years, creating a high demand for shares of fertility treatment companies like OvaScience Inc (NASDAQ: OVAS).

A New Generation

A growing number of women are waiting until later in life to have children, making the need for IVF much higher than in past years. Widespread acceptance of the practice has also made it a popular option. More liberal views on same-sex partners have also contributed to a higher demand for IVF procedures.

For those reasons, fertility treatment providers like Montash IVF Group Ltd (trading on the ASX exchange under the ticker MVF) have been expanding. The company recently acquired Sydney Ultrasound For Women, a diagnostic facility that brought in $19 million worth of revenue in 2014.

Related Link: The Business Of Fertility Finance

U.S. IVF Explodes

In the United States, IVF treatment has changed dramatically as demand for the procedure rises. Finance companies who offer insurance options and fertility loans have made IVF more affordable for families, and better science has radically changed the way clinics do business.

Now, couples who have no reproductive issues can visit some fertility clinics in order to have IVF for "family balancing." The practice means that the couple has the ability to select their child's sex, something that has been attractive to families who have two or three children of one sex and want to conceive another of a different gender.

Ethical Questions

While "family balancing" is positive for the IVF industry, as it casts a wider net of potential customers, there are several ethical questions that arise regarding the practice. Some worry that gender selection could be a slippery slope into deciding more specific traits of potential babies. Others say that marketing the procedure to families that don't need it for medical reasons is wrong, as it allows them to take unnecessary risks.

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