Miracle Child

Saban here relates her experience with in vitro fertilization and with the surrogate who bore her child. The story should be a source of instruction and encouragement for those who want to go through the surrogacy process. Unable to have children, the Sabans turned to Jaroslav Marik, the doctor who had assisted in the second gestational surrogate birth in the U.S. With his help and the more important help of the enthusiastic, friendly surrogate, Karen, the Sabans had a son, Nesse, the details of whose birth supply the most gripping part of the book. The author, a children's TV scriptwriter, discusses the daunting odds against successful in vitro fertilization and the legal conundrums that have arisen in some of the celebrated surrogate mother cases, and also gives a touching account of the friendship that developed between the Sabans and Karen. (Aug.)