The First IVF Baby
The development of in vitro fertilisation, or IVF, culminating in the ‘miraculous’ birth of Louise Joy Brown on 25 July 1978, was a defining moment for reproductive technology pioneered by British researchers.
Louise’s birth followed ten years of experimentation, hundreds of failed attempts and many setbacks for Robert Edwards, Patrick Steptoe and Jean Purdy, the scientists responsible for this remarkable achievement.