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In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a form of fertilization that occurs outside the body in which egg cells are fertilized by sperm cells in a specially prepared fluid medium. Following the fertilization of the egg outside the body, the zygote is implanted into the womb of the mother. If both the fertilization and implantation take place successfully, the probability of establishing a successful pregnancy is also high. The process has served as a treatment for many cases of infertility since it started being applied in humans.
This procedure has been particularly useful in countries where the rates of infertility are high such as in the United States where an estimated 500,000 couples struggle with infertility every year (Human fertilization-embryo authority 1). The history of IVF was marked by major scientific breakthroughs and the significance of this procedure today can be most appreciated and understood by tracing the scientific developments associated with it. The goal of this paper is to trace the history of IVF highlighting the significance of various milestones in this history.
Long before IVF started being applied in human fertility, there were various experiments involving the transfer of embryos that were being conducted in animals. The major success among these experiments came after Walter Heap successfully performed embryo transfer between rabbits in the early 1890s (In vitro fertilization 3). Following this successful experiment, several publications were made in relation to the IVF technique. One of the renowned published works was “Brave New World”, a fiction work written by Aldous Huxley.
The basis for this novel was science fiction and gave a concrete description of IVF as it is currently known. However, the success of the journey towards assisted procreation was still to gain some assurance and momentum until MC Chang successfully applied IVF to obtain births in rabbits. In this procedure, Chang used capacitated sperm to fertilize eggs that had been newly ovulated by incubating them for a period of four hours in a Carrel flask.
It is worth noting that without immense contribution by expertise from other fields like embryology, anatomy as well as microscopy this technique would not have been practically undertaken (World in Vitro fertilization units 1) The progressive application of IVF in humans as evident today has been enhanced by important modifications in the development of the technique including modifications relating to culture media in which fertilization takes place, the duration within which embryos are transferred after fertilization, equipment are utilized to ensure successful procedures, embryo biopsy and the reduction of the number of sperm cells that can be used in the fertilization dish.
There are a number of personalities who have immensely contributed to these new developments in the technique including the initiation of new treatment protocols. The first successful attempt to obtain oocytes through laparoscopy was accomplished by Palmer in 1961 which paved way for the first attempt to use Invitro Fertilization on human oocytes in 1965 by Robert Edwards, Howard Jones, and Georgeanna who performed this procedure in the United States at Johns Hopkins Hospital (World in Vitro fertilization units 2) This milestone was followed by another sign of successful progress when reports of the first pregnancy from IVF were submitted in 1973 by a research team working hand in hand with Professors John Leeton and Carl Wood in Melbourne, Australia (World in Vitro fertilization units 4). However, a setback in this achievement came after an early miscarriage resulting from the pregnancy (IVF In Vitro Fertilization 3).
Three years after this unfortunate setback, the first preparation of the B2 culture medium was successfully accomplished by Y. Menezo who used formulations that reflected the uterine, follicular, and tubal environments of rabbits, humans, and sheep (World in Vitro fertilization units 4). In the same year that is 1976; two scientists, Edwards and Steptoe working in collaboration published a report relating to their discovery of ectopic pregnancy after transferring human embryos at the early blastocyst stage (Nationa institute of health 1). Their further work bore much success when the first IVF birth occurred in England in 1978. This IVF baby called Louise Brown at the time of birth weighed 5lb 12oz and his birth pave way for many more successful births through IVF not only in England but also worldwide (Human fertilization-embryo authority 3)
The subsequent periods were chatacterized by more developments which gave a new picture as to where the technique of IVF was headed. In 1979 for instance, the first report on the use of ultrasound for tracking the development of follicles during the menstrual cycle was published after great work done by Pez and his team. The better part of the following decade was dominated by reports of successful IVF births in different parts of the world such as the US, Australia, and France after immense work done by scientists.
The year 1983 saw more advancement in the technique of IVF when the first pregnancy in a woman without ovaries was achieved by transferring donor ovaries into the woman to initiate an artificial menstrual cycle. This menstrual cycle together with a specially prepared hormonal formula was able to support the pregnancy for a period of 10 weeks. A successful delivery from this kind of pregnancy was also reported in the same year (Nationa institute of health 1).
In the same year, Christopher Chen reported the birth of the first triplets conceived through IVF. The IVF research was until 1984 largely unregulated through legislation but following the passage of the Infertility Act by the Government of Victoria, regulation of IVF research and the whole area involving research on human embryos was entrenched in the law. The year 1984 also saw developments that hardly occurred in the preceding years with the most fascinating being the discovery that healthy babies could be born after the enrichment of abnormal spermatozoa. Scientists accomplished this possibility when the first case of male infertility was treated by employing IVF (Nationa institute of health 2).
The first quadruplets ever born in the world through IVF were also reported in 1984. The rate of survival of human pregnancy was a challenge until 1985 when a formulation of media that mimics the natural uterine environment was developed and used on humans. The first report of successful pregnancy from oocytes that had been fertilized in vitro and then donated to a patient whose ovaries were healthy was published in 1986. Up to this point in time, there were no reports of human oocyte fertilization by using a single spermatozoon until 1987 when this was accomplished successfully. Newer methods of enhancing the outcome of IVF continued to be invented and practically applied. One such method was called zona drilling which researchers used to manipulate the zona pellucida of oocytes to promote better penetration of sperms.
In addition, laser techniques and those used for DNA amplification as well as Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE) began being used in IVF from the late 1990s (Nationa institute of health 1). Despite these developments in IVF, the current situation in terms of atones of this technique in many countries such as the United States is not encouraging. This has been contributed by economic factors such as the high cost of infertility treatment. In addition, many insurance companies are not willing to commit themselves to infertility benefits for the large population facing infertility problems dthe ue to economic and social implications of Assisted Reproductive Technologies including IVF (Human fertilization embryo authority 1).
The history of IVF can be traced back in the early 1890s when embryo transfer in rabbits was successfully done by Walter (World in Vitro fertilization units 5). Its application in humans resulted from great contributions from different professionals in the disciplines of microbiology, embryology and anatomy. The gradual developments over time paved way for the first birth from IVF in humans in 1978 when Louise Brown was born in England. Further developments resulted in widespread research which culminated in the invention of new techniques with tangible scientific outcomes being reported across the globe. Current challenges in the midst of increased cases of infertility relates to access to Assisted Reproductive Technologies such as IVF due to economic and social factors.
References
Human fertilization embryo authority. History of IVF. 2009. Web.
In vitro fertilization. History. n.d. Web.
Nationa institute of health. ivf In Vitro Fertilization. 2010. Web.
World in Vitro fertilization units. A History of IVF. 2004. Web.
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