Right before
midnight, on July 25, 1978, Lesley and John Brown welcomed the birth of their
little girl. Her name was Louise Brown, and she was born in Oldham, England.
Three years later, across the world, Judith and Roger Carr welcomed their
second child, Elizabeth, in Norfolk, Virginia. Two baby girls born in two
different countries. Unlike millions of other babies born during that time
span, Louise and Elizabeth each graced the covers of national magazines after
their birth. What made these two babies so special? They were the first babies
conceived using in vitro
fertilization (IVF) in England and the United States.
Since
Louise Brown’s birth, over six million IVF babies have been born throughout the
globe. IVF is a method that helps couples with fertility problems to conceive a
child. Simply put, instead of fertilization occurring within the body, it
occurs in the lab. This might be needed if a woman has damaged fallopian tubes,
those tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus, since this prevents eggs
being fertilized and embryos reaching the uterus (where a fetus develops).
Other scenarios can direct couples toward IVF such as problems with ovulation
(egg production), sperm production, genetic disorders, or other conditions
affecting reproduction.
A sequence of
general steps is followed during IVF. Since eggs are required to form an
embryo, synthetic hormone treatments are given to stimulate the production of
multiple eggs at one time (typically, only one egg is released per month). This
process is referred to as ovarian stimulation, can take 8-12 days, and
increases the chances of fertilization. Yet, there are many possible side
effects of the intense hormone treatments, which all doctors should educate
their patients on. Ultrasounds and estrogen tests are used to monitor the eggs
throughout this process. Once the eggs look ripe for fertilization, a shot is
administered to commence the eggs’ release. About 36 hours later, the eggs are
sucked up using a thin needle and suction (fortunately the woman is sedated).
This process can result in several eggs being collected in about 20 minutes.
Once eggs are
retrieved, they are fertilized with the father’s sperm in a lab. As you might
expect, sperm is usually collected in a simpler method that does not require
hormone treatments. Once the eggs are fertilized, and now referred to as
embryos, one embryo (or sometimes multiple – to increase the likelihood of
success) are implanted into the uterus to continue developing. In some cases,
embryos are given about six days to develop in the lab before they’re tested
for genetic diseases and chromosome number. This gives doctors greater
confidence that implanted embryos do not carry common diseases or chromosomal
abnormalities.
While IVF is
usually associated with couples, it’s important to note that eggs or sperm can
come from donors. Additionally, embryos can be implanted into a gestational
carrier: a woman that carries the baby to term.
The goal of IVF is
to conceive a healthy baby. Since its initial success with Louise Brown, millions
of babies have been conceived using IVF, and it’s easy to imagine the joy that
IVF has provided for families throughout the world.
List
of Sources
1. The Telegraph. “Louise Brown, the
first IVF baby, reveals family was bombarded with hate mail.” Victoria Ward. July 24, 2015. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/11760004/Louise-Brown-the-first-IVF-baby-reveals-family-was-bombarded-with-hate-mail.html
2. WWW.mayoclinic.org (search for “in vitro
fertilization” at top of screen. Then, click on top search result “In vitro
fertilization (IVF) – Overview – Mayo Clinic.” See information in “Overview”
and “Procedure Details” tabs.)
3. WWW.columbiafertility.com (search for “typical IVF
timeline” at top of screen. Then, click top search result “The Typical IVF
Timeline: 6 Steps You Need to Know.”)
4. WWW.urmc.rochester.edu (search for “IVF step by step”
at top of screen. Then, click top search result “IVF Step-by-Step.”)
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