In short
The podcast “IVF Disrupted: The Kindybody Story” investigates KindBody, a venture-backed fertility clinic chain, framing it as Silicon Valley-style “disruption” in IVF that led to both success and patient backlash. It follows women’s experiences—starting fertility journeys as age windows close—and contrasts the promise of personalized, trusted-care with reports of disillusionment.
Key claims
KindBody grew rapidly on millions in venture capital/private equity, marketed doctor visits as like seeing a trusted friend, but left “angry” patients who felt they weren’t in the right hands.
Notable examples
a listener’s four-year struggle to conceive; a coworker’s recommendation; patients’ “bright and shiny” expectations turning to disappointment.
Guests
No specific guest names or backgrounds appear in the provided transcript.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOThe KindBody Story: An Introduction
0:00 to 0:22
Discover the journey into fertility care and the KindBody narrative.
“With the highest number of young STEM graduates per capita in the EU, Ireland has the people and skills your company needs to succeed here.”
The KindBody Story: An Introduction
1:01 to 2:19
Discover the journey into fertility care and the KindBody narrative.
“We were getting a little bit older and a little bit older, and it just kind of felt like that opportunity to have kids, the window could be closing.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00With the highest number of young STEM graduates per capita in the EU, Ireland has the people and skills your company needs to succeed here. IDA Ireland, the National Investment Development Agency, can help you find and nurture the people you need to internationalise and thrive. Our talent is just one of the extraordinary benefits Ireland has to offer. Learn more at idaireland.com. Invest in extraordinary.
0:30Get the news you need in just 15 minutes. Start your day with Bloomberg Daybreak, the podcast with a global view on the stories that matter. I'm Nathan Hager. And I'm Karen Moscow. Join us each morning for curated stories on current events, politics, business and foreign relations. Plus one conversation on the day's biggest developments, all in just 15 minutes. Subscribe to Bloomberg Daybreak for a precise, thoughtful take on the stories that matter. Listen to Bloomberg Daybreak each morning on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen. I started trying to get pregnant about four years ago now. We were getting a little bit older and a little bit older, and it just kind of felt like that opportunity to have kids, the window could be closing.
1:11The women who walked through the clinic's doors had a common reason. Introducing KindBody, a new generation of women's health and fertility care. KindBody promised to revolutionize fertility care. We believe that going to the doctor should feel like a visit with a trusted friend. My coworker, we were walking past the Kind Body and she said, oh my God, they're supposed to be really amazing. Backed by millions in venture capital and private equity, it grew like a tech startup. While Kind Body did help women start families, it also left behind a stream of disillusioned and angry patients. You think you're finally like with the right people in the right hands and then to find out again that you're just not.
1:53For two years, I've investigated what happens when Silicon Valley-style disruption meets one of medicine's most intimate procedures. Bloomberg and iHeart Podcast present IVF Disrupted, the Kind Body Story. We'll tell you about Kind Body's rocket ship trajectory through one of healthcare's fastest-growing and least-regulated fields, and the patients who feel like they've paid the price. Don't be fooled. Don't be fooled by what? All the s*** we were full by. All the bright and shiny. Listen to IVF Disrupted, the kind body story, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
2:36A new chapter in global growth is being written, and much of it is happening in Africa. Africans need to invest. There are deals to be done and business to be won. I'm Jennifer Zabasaja. Every week on the Next Africa podcast, We track capital flows and political shifts shaping the continent's future. The digitalization of Africa is going to power its growth. Creating the world of something like HIV is possible. Population growth is so enormous in Africa. Listen to Next Africa on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
From the publisher
Kindbody was once one of the fastest-growing fertility chains in the US. The venture-backed company cultivated a modern and millennial-friendly aesthetic that helped it attract more than $300 million in investments, including backing from celebrity investors like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chelsea Clinton. But Kindbody has been riddled with clinical problems, with embryos being mislabeled, lost or accidentally destroyed, and has spiraled into crisis. As more people seek fertility treatment than ever, the startup's story illustrates the dangers of moving fast in a largely unregulated industry.
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