History of IVF
1890s
The history of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) dates back as early as the 1890s when Walter Heape a professor and physician at the University of Cambridge, England, who had been conducting research on reproduction in a number of animal species, reported the first known case of embryo transplantation in rabbits, long before the applications to human fertility were even suggested. About 100 years ago, on 27 April 1890, Walter Heape transferred rabbit embryos from one mother to another. One animal became pregnant and delivered young from the transferred embryos. Thus the first mammalian embryo transfer experiment was successfully completed. In 1891, Walter Heape (1855-1929), a professor and physician at the University of Cambridge, England, who had been conducting research on reproduction in numerous animal species, reported the first known case of embryo transplantation. Working with two species of rabbits, he flushed embryos from the oviducts (rabbit fallopian tubes) of one breed (Angora) and placed them into the uterus of a recently mated Belgian hare. In the resulting litter, there were 4 Belgians and 2 Angoras. Heape proved that it was possible to take preimplantation embryos and transfer them to a gestational carrier without affecting their development.
As a result of this work, many scientists became interested in culturing eggs and embryos in the laboratory. Gregory Pincus and colleagues were the first to show how eggs of various animals would undergo maturation if released from their follicle and cultured in a laboratory. In 1939, he reported that human eggs would mature in the laboratory within 12 hours.
As a result of this work, many scientists became interested in culturing eggs and embryos in the laboratory. Gregory Pincus and colleagues were the first to show how eggs of various animals would undergo maturation if released from their follicle and cultured in a laboratory. In 1939, he reported that human eggs would mature in the laboratory within 12 hours.
1959
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_Chueh_Chang
However, it was not until 1959 that indisputable evidence of IVF was obtained by Min Chueh Chang who was the first to achieve births in a mammal (a rabbit) by IVF. The newly-ovulated eggs were fertilized, in vitro by incubation with capacitated sperm in a small Carrel flask for 4 hours, thus opening the way to assisted procreation. It was not until 1959, however, that M.C. Chang reported, in the journal Nature, the first unequivocal case of a live birth following egg fertilization in the lab, true in vitro fertilization and subsequent embryo transfer, to the uterus.
1965
In 1965, Robert Edwards together with Georgeanna and Howard Jones at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the USA attempted to fertilize human oocytes in vitro.
1973
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Wood
Edwin Carlyle Wood, is a prominent Australian gynaecologist best known for his pioneering work developing and commercialising the technique of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).The first IVF pregnancy was reported by the Monash research team of Professors Carl Wood and John Leeton in Melbourne, Australia. Unfortunately, this resulted in early miscarriage
source: http://www.ivf-worldwide.com/ivf-history.html
Drs. Steptoe and Edwards published a report in 1976 in the medical journal Lancet of a human embryo at the late morulae /early blastocyst stage that was transferred into the uterus and resulted in a clinical pregnancy. Unfortunately, the result was an ectopic pregnancy (tubal pregnancy) and had to be removed.
Finally, they decided to abandon the use of fertility medications and try aspirating a single egg in a natural menstrual cycle. In addition, they returned the embryo to the uterus earlier at the eight cell stage in the hopes that this would compensate for perhaps inadequate culture condition in vitro. On their second attempt, Louise Brown was conceived.
Finally, they decided to abandon the use of fertility medications and try aspirating a single egg in a natural menstrual cycle. In addition, they returned the embryo to the uterus earlier at the eight cell stage in the hopes that this would compensate for perhaps inadequate culture condition in vitro. On their second attempt, Louise Brown was conceived.
1978
The first ever IVF birth occurred in Oldham, England on July 25, 1978. This birth was the result of the collaborative work of Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards. Lesley Brown and her husband, John, had been unable to conceive for nine years. Lesley was diagnosed with bilateral fallopian tube obstruction. In 1976, she was referred to Dr. Patrick Steptoe. He recommended that she try a new experimental procedure that would bypass the fallopian tubes blockage completely.
Lesley underwent a laparoscopy whereby a single mature egg was aspirated from one of her ovaries. John's sperm was added to the egg in the laboratory under the direction of Robert G. Edwards. A few days later a developing embryo was placed into Lesley's uterus.
At 11:47 p.m. July 25, 1978, Louise Joy Brown was delivered by cesarean section. She weighed five pounds 12 ounces and had blonde hair and blue eyes.
At 11:47 p.m. July 25, 1978, Louise Joy Brown was delivered by cesarean section. She weighed five pounds 12 ounces and had blonde hair and blue eyes.
Brown was born 25 July 1978 at 11:47 p.m. at Oldham General Hospital, Oldham, via planned caesarean section delivered by registrar John Webster. She weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces (2.608 kg) at birth. Her younger sister, Natalie Brown, was also conceived through IVF, four years later, and became the world's fortieth IVF baby, and the first one to give birth herself—naturally—in 1999.
Brown married nightclub doorman Wesley Mullinder in 2004, with Dr. Edwards attending their wedding. On December 20th, 2006, Louise gave birth to her own child, Cameron John Mullinder. She conceived without fertility treatment of any kind on the six month that she and her husband tried. The delivery was by cesarean section since the baby was breech.
source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-428606/Britains-test-tube-baby-having-baby-own.html
1982
Britain's first test tube twins were also born in the UK. The parents were 31-year-old Jo Smith and her husband Stewart.
Most couples undergoing IVF are delighted by the prospect of twins, although fertility doctors in the UK and Europe now try to avoid them, as a twin pregnancy does raise the risk of complications for mother and babies.
1983
Monash IVF team reported on the birth of the first frozen embryo baby. The question of what to do with excess embryos not used in the initial IVF treatment has always troubled both the parents and clinicians. By storing the embryos at very low temperature, they can be preserve for a long time and used at a later date. The freezing of embryos started in 1983, and eventually one couple in the US were the first to have a second child using such an embryo. At Melbourne, April 10, a 5 1/2-pound infant girl named Zoe is the world's first baby produced from a frozen embryo.
1986
Monash IVF report on the world’s first pregnancy and birth from the sperm retrieval operation performed on a patient who had a blocked sperm duct.
Monash IVF report on the world’s first pregnancy and birth from the sperm retrieval operation performed on a patient who had a blocked sperm duct.
1986
GIFT was developed in 1984 as an alternative to in-vitro fertilization. The first child born as a result of GIFT was in the UK in 1986. Since that time, GIFT has become a regularly used procedure as an alternative for infertile patient with patent tubes. It has never reached the same level of popularity of IVF for fertility patients, because it requires operative laparascopic surgical procedure to place a mixture of sperm and eggs directly into the fallopian tubes. This surgical procedure is not needed in IVF because the eggs are retrieved vaginally and subsequently fertilized eggs are placed into the uterus through the vaginal route. This procedure is not suitable for patient with blocked tubes.
GIFT was developed in 1984 as an alternative to in-vitro fertilization. The first child born as a result of GIFT was in the UK in 1986. Since that time, GIFT has become a regularly used procedure as an alternative for infertile patient with patent tubes. It has never reached the same level of popularity of IVF for fertility patients, because it requires operative laparascopic surgical procedure to place a mixture of sperm and eggs directly into the fallopian tubes. This surgical procedure is not needed in IVF because the eggs are retrieved vaginally and subsequently fertilized eggs are placed into the uterus through the vaginal route. This procedure is not suitable for patient with blocked tubes.
However, some patients feel that allowing fertilization to take place within the fallopian tube is more natural than fertilizing the eggs in a laboratory environment. In addition, GIFT has become a more acceptable option to some who have religious objections to the necessary long-term storage and/or culling of fertilized eggs that occurs during the process of IVF.
1990
In 1990, J. Cohen, assumed that the embryos which was achieved with the help of method IVF has a thicker walls (Zona pellucida) surrounding it. This may explained the lower implantation rate in artificially received embryos. The embryos has to hatched out of the zona pellucida before it can implant on day 5. In order to improve the process of implantation, Cohen developed assisted hatching procedure by breaching the zona pellucida and this promotes the natural process of hatching.
1992
Report of the first human pregnancy after ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) was in 1992, by the group in Brussels. Since then, thousands of babies have been born using ICSI. In this case a single sperm was injected across the zona pellicida membrane of the egg using a micropipette and a microscope with micromanipulator. This technique further revolutionized infertility treatment and give hope for many couples with very poor sperm quality.Sources:
Temple-Smith PD, Southwick GJ, Yates CA, Trounson AO, de Kretser DM. Human pregnancy by in vitro fertilization (IVF) using sperm aspirated from the epididymis. J In Vitro Fert Embryo Transf. 1985;2(3):119-22)
De Kretzer D, Dennis P, Hudson B, Leeton J, Lopata A, Outch K, Talbot J, Wood C. Transfer of a human zygote. Lancet, 1973 29;2:728-9
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1499664/pdf/bmjcred00617-0008.pdf
