In the late 1990s, Egypt experienced a boom period in in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology and now boasts more IVF clinics than neighboring Israel. In this book, Marcia Inhorn writes of her fieldwork among affluent, elite couples who sought in vitro fertilization in Egypt, a country which is not only at the forefront of IVF technology in the Middle East, but also a center of Islamic education in the region. Inhorn examines the gender, scientific, religious and cultural ramifications of the transfer of IVF technology from Euro-American points of origin to Egypt - showing how cultural ideas reshape the use of this technology and in turn, how the technology is reshaping cultural ideas in Egypt.

Prologue: Amira1. Introduction2. Class3. Knowledge4. Religion5. Providers6. Efficacy7. Embodiment8. Gender9. Stigma10. ConclusionAppendix: FatwaNotesReferences

Marcia C. Inhorn is Associate Professor with joint appointments in the School of Public Health and the Department of Anthropology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.