The Decibel · The Globe and Mail

Navigating Canada's fertility industry

April 6, 2026·30 min·2 clips

Catherine Blaisbaum keeps a box of sonogram images of babies that never made it, a mausoleum of losses from her quest to grow her family.

The episode opens with host Cheryl Sutherland introducing Catherine Blaisbaum, an investigative journalist for The Globe and Mail, who wrote a book on infertility. Catherine begins by describing a hidden box of sonogram images representing her four miscarriages, setting a personal tone. She explains her desire for a second child after her daughter Sydney was born in 2018. The conversation defines infertility broadly, noting one in six Canadians struggle with it. Catherine details her misconceptions about IVF, thinking it usually works the first time, but she underwent five egg retrievals and multiple failed transfers. She recounts severe physical side effects, including fainting and needing stitches. Statistics on IVF success rates are discussed, showing around 45% for those under 35 and 35% for those over 35. Coverage in Canada is limited, with no province fully covering fertility treatment, though some offer one publicly funded cycle. Catherine highlights the lack of clinic success rate data due to the 2004 Assisted Human Reproduction Act being partially struck down by the Supreme Court. The episode delves into surrogacy, explaining Canada's altruistic model where surrogates can only be reimbursed for expenses, not paid. Catherine shares her experience finding surrogates through an agency and Facebook, leading to matches with Stacey and Kendra. After three years and multiple failed transfers with Stacey, Kendra had a successful pregnancy. In a twist, Catherine discovered she was naturally pregnant while Kendra was carrying her child. Kendra gave birth prematurely to Oliver via emergency C-section, and months later, Catherine gave birth to Benjamin. Catherine reflects on the chaos and gratitude of her current life with three children. She concludes by advocating for changes: better patient education, consumer protections for add-on treatments (which cost her $25,000), centralized oversight, expanded public funding, and employer insurance coverage. She advises individuals to investigate their fertility early and maintain hope.

As heard by us

A personal fertility story that also lays out Canada's surrogacy rules.

The Decibel follows Catherine Blaisbaum through a fertility struggle that feels immediate without slipping into sentimentality. Sonogram images, four miscarriages, and the long search for a second child give the episode its force, while the reporting stays anchored in the limits…

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Why you'd press play

When you want fertility policy explained through one family's hard road.

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