Gaza City, Al Helou clinic. Iman Juju (28) talk to a colleague, during her shift as volunteer nurse at Al Helou clinic. Above her, a sign advertising maternity services offered by the clinic. Iman is 8 months pregnant through an IVF she had in the same in clinic.
"Children are our everything" (2019)
The IVF boom in Gaza - Text by Eleonora Vio
With 2 million people squeezed within a tiny Strip of land, Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas on earth. Moreover, its population is amongst the youngest and has one of the highest fertility rates worldwide.
Yet, the In Vitro Fertilization has been booming since at least a decade.
This work unfolds the political, medical and cultural reasons behind such a new and atypical trend, through the eyes and voice of many IVF beneficiaries from the different social and economical status.
Featured by: Der Spiegel, TRT World, Trouw, De Morgen, Il Venerdì, Elle, Yo Dona, Choisir
Gaza City. Doctor Ghada Al Qrenawi is isolating a patient's oocytes from a sample of her tissue at Al Helou clinic lab.
Gaza City. Lureen Bhar (30, center) in the waiting room at al Basma clinic. She is waiting the for the doctor to call her in the OR for her first IVF surgery, consisting in oocyte retrieval.
Gaza City, Shujeya. A monument from 2014 war, to celebrate the first drones ever built in Gaza.
Gaza City, Al Helou clinic. Ahmed Hoda comforts his wife Hala (24), right after she returned from surgery, consisting in oocyte retrieval. Hala and Ahmed are married since 7 years and they have no kids, due to his infertility.
Jabalya, East Gaza Strip. Omar Ahmed at his sister's flat. Omar (33) is married to Uarda (30) since 11 years, but they have no kids. The couple tried IVF for the first time few years ago but it did not work and they are still in debt. In 2018 they applied to get a free IVF treatment through Fata, an NGO funded by Jaleela Dahlan (the wife of former Fatah leader Mohammad Dahlan). Omar and Uarda succeeded getting the treatment for free and will start the procedure in February.
Jabalya. Sabah Issa (47) shows a photo of her 13 years od twins (Abdallah and Farah), born through IVF.
Gaza City. At Basma clinic for IVF, Mersal, a nurse (right) is injecting her weekly dose of hormones to Mervat Hinnawi (42), a patient with no kids who is trying IVF for the first time.
Jabalya, East Gaza Strip. Talin and Alin, 5 years old twins born through IVF, play at their grandmothers' house.
Gaza City. In the OR at Al Helou clinic, Mohammed Al Helou, (son of the clinic's founder) is retrieving oocytes from Hala Hoda (24).
Gaza City, Shujeya. A building in front of Fadi Bhar house. Fadi, who is attempting IVF with his wife, blames the chemicals contained in the missiles dropped in 2008 for his infertility, as the area where they live was heavily bombed during the past three wars in the Gaza Strip.
Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip. Nidal Zayed (fisherman, 31) and his wife Maali (30, former nurse) at home with their 11-months-old triplet born thorugh IVF. In 2017 they applied to get an IVF treatment by Fata, an NGO funded by the Jaleela Dahlan (the wife of the former Fatah leader Mohammad Dahlan). Nidal and Maali succeeded getting treatment for free and this time the IVF was successful