In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a complex series of procedures. This process involves collecting mature eggs from the ovaries and combining them with sperm in a laboratory dish, a setting which gives the procedure its name, “in vitro,” meaning “in glass.” If fertilization occurs, the resulting embryo is then transferred into the uterus. IVF is a highly effective form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) that fundamentally changed the landscape for people facing infertility.
The Necessity for Assisted Reproduction
Before IVF was developed, infertility cases involved physical blockages that prevented natural conception. The most common of these issues was tubal factor infertility, where damaged or blocked fallopian tubes stopped the egg and sperm from meeting. Traditional medical treatments, such as corrective surgeries on the fallopian tubes, often had limited success and carried substantial risks. These surgical options frequently failed to restore the tube’s delicate function of transporting the egg and supporting early fertilization.
Researchers recognized that to bypass this widespread physical barrier, a method was needed to facilitate fertilization outside the body. The mid-20th century saw medical science begin to focus on this gap, with animal studies proving that fertilization could successfully occur in a laboratory setting. This work set the stage for human trials, driven by the desire to offer a functional solution to couples for whom pregnancy was otherwise impossible.
The Landmark Moment of First Availability
The moment IVF officially became available was July 25, 1978. This date saw the birth of Louise Brown in Oldham, England, the world’s first child conceived through the IVF procedure. This breakthrough was the result of years of collaborative research by gynecologist Patrick Steptoe and reproductive physiologist Robert Edwards, alongside embryologist Jean Purdy.
The procedure relied on a natural cycle to retrieve a single egg without the use of stimulating drugs. Dr. Steptoe used a laparoscope, a thin, illuminated tube inserted through an incision, to collect the mature egg from the ovary. The egg was then fertilized in the lab by Dr. Edwards and Purdy, and the resulting embryo was transferred into the mother’s uterus. This single event demonstrated that the entire process—from external fertilization to successful gestation and live birth—was biologically possible.
Transitioning IVF into Common Practice
The initial success of 1978 was a breakthrough, but the process remained experimental before becoming a globally accessible treatment. A major advancement was the shift from the natural cycle to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). This involves administering hormones to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs in a single cycle, rather than just one. Collecting several eggs at once drastically increased the chance of obtaining at least one viable embryo for transfer, making the procedure more efficient and cost-effective for patients.
Another major process improvement was the development of cryopreservation techniques, allowing for the freezing and thawing of embryos. This technology, which became reliable in the mid-1980s, meant that surplus embryos from a single IVF cycle could be stored for future use. The ability to freeze embryos reduced the need for repeated, invasive egg retrieval procedures. Furthermore, the introduction of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) in the early 1990s expanded the use of IVF to treat severe male factor infertility, where a single sperm is directly injected into the egg.