Measuring Up : The disease of infertility does not follow the Dow Jones average

According to this article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal, women are lining up more than ever before to donate their eggs or become surrogate mothers.

A tough economy has created thousands of mini capitalists because the demand to make babies through these methods has yet to wane. In fact, top candidates can now command upwards of $25,000 to carry a baby for nine months. An egg donor can also generally receive between 3,000 and 8,000 bucks. One San Diego egg bank has advertised a whopping $50,000 reward for any would-be donor who achieved very high SAT scores.

Of course, many of these applicants never become actual donors or surrogates. They have to pass a battery of tests that many would consider too invasive or would create a whole lot of unnecessary turmoil in their lives.

For starters, donors need to be in very good health, the right height, weight and age (between 20 and 30 years old), no history of sexually transmitted diseases, limited travel outside the U.S. and even no sex, drinking, smoking or drug usage is allowed. These tough standards serve to cancel out over 70 percent of those applying. The small percentage of approved donors then have to go through the most unpleasant reality of hormone injections, blood tests and ultrasounds (with surrogates it's nine months of nurturing someone else's kid). Still, money talks now more than ever. And, that's why they are applying in droves.

What I find most interesting here though, isn't the supply of candidates available. No, it's the demand that has me perplexed. I would think that this ultra depressed economy would force many to wait before ponying up the big bucks that these initiatives typically cost. Even in those cases where insurance covers the medical procedures (in select states,) fees to these agencies can be exorbitant. And, I haven't even begun to discuss the very real everyday costs and responsibilities that it takes to care for another child.

It just doesn't make a lot of sense. Net worth across our country (and the world) has plummeted. Millions are (or will be out of work) within the next six months. And, the result is that almost everyone I know is significantly cutting back spending across the board.

Yet, according to one study I found on the Internet, the number of egg donor recipient applications has increased 35 percent in the last 120 days.

Marketers know that when times are bad, consumers cling to products that give them comfort in their home. That's often why "comfort foods" such as potato chips, popcorn and other salty snacks still keep selling well in the worst of times. Could it be true that this comfort category has expanded to include an entirely different type of living product?

Probably not. My guess is that many couples will spend anything they have (including depleting their savings) to have their own baby. Now that the most modern technology allows for this to happen, even depression-like conditions won't impede this evolutionary trend.