The birth of Louise Brown in 1978, and with her that of human
in vitro
fertilization (IVF), was a landmark in medical science. Surgically harvesting eggs from a woman's ovaries, fertilizing them outside her body, and transferring the resulting embryos into her uterus enabled effective treatment of female infertility caused by irreparably damaged fallopian tubes. Since then, rapid innovation has led to new applications for IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies.
The birth of Louise Brown in 1978, and with her that of human in vitro fertilization (IVF), was a landmark in medical science. Surgically harvesting eggs from a woman's ovaries, fertilizing them outside her body, and transferring the resulting embryos into her uterus enabled effective treatment of female infertility caused by irreparably damaged fallopian tubes. Since then, rapid innovation has led to new applications for IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies.