The Story Of Louise Joy Brown, The First Human In The World To Be Born Through The IVF Process

JAKARTA - On July 25, 1978, Louise Joy Brown became the first baby in the world to be born through in vitro (IVF) fertilization or known as IVF.

Reported by VOI from the People page on Monday, November 25, 2024, Louise's birth was successful thanks to the latest research by three British scientists, namely Dr. Robert Edwards, Dr. Patrick Steptoe, and Jean Purdy.

The three scientists have been working together for a decade to develop IVF, a procedure that combines eggs and sperm outside the body, then the resulting embryo is implanted into the uterus.

Although they have succeeded in creating a viable embryo, successful pregnancy has not been achieved. Until finally, Louise's revolutionary birth in 1978.

Since then, more than 12 million babies have been born thanks to IVF programs and other reproductive technologies. This procedure has helped millions of people struggling with fertility problems.

Louise Joy Brown became famous as the world's first IVF-born IVF in July 25, 1978 in England. According to The New York Times, her parents, Lesley and John Brown have struggled with fertility problems for nine years.

The test showed that Lesley's tuba falopi channel was clogged, preventing her from getting pregnant naturally. However, a doctor at a local health clinic informed Lesley about Dr. Patrick Steptoe, who is developing treatment for women with clogged tuba channels.

Although this experimental procedure only provides a chance of 'one in a million' success, Lesley decided to ask Dr. Steptoe for help.

With the help of Dr. Steptoe, Dr. Robert Edwards, and Jean Purdy, Lesley managed to get pregnant through IVF in December 1977. In July 1978, Louise's baby was born with a caesarean operation at the Oldham General Hospital in England. This made Louise the first baby born through IVF.

Not only Dr. Steptoe and Dr. Edwards who allowed Louise to give birth, they also played a role in giving her middle name. Both suggested the middle name 'Joy' as a tribute to the influence of Louise's birth which would give many people happiness.

"The doctor gave me the middle name 'Joy' because they said my birth could bring happiness to many people. I want to live up to that name," Louise recalled to People. PEOPLE in 2017.

Louise's parents were then blessed with a second child through a IVF program named Natalie who was born in 1982. This makes Natalia known as the 40th child in the world to be born thanks to the IVF program.

Louise's birth attracted public attention, even before she was born. When news of Lesley's pregnancy through the IVF program leaked to the media, the Brown family was forced to hide to protect themselves and the newborns.

"We're worried he's going to lose a baby, a fetus, because the media are after Mrs. Brown across Bristol where she lives," Dr. Edwards told the BBC in 2008.

"So, secretly, Patrick Steptoe hid the pregnant woman in her car and took her to her mother's house in Lincoln, the media don't know where she is." he continued.

Although caesar Lesley's operations are scheduled midnight to avoid media attention, the birth process itself was recorded to prove damage to Lesley's Tuba channel.

"If not, there would be skepticism who might claim that she could get pregnant naturally, no matter what we say," said Dr. John Webster, who helped give birth to Louise to the BBC in 2003.

Louise's birth became a sensation of international media, and the baby appeared on the cover of newspapers and magazines around the world. Lesley, John, and baby Louise also toured the media six months after birth. According to the fertility clinic Bourn Hall, they visited Japan, the US, Canada, and Ireland.

However, even though Brown's family received hundreds of greeting cards from survivors, they also received hate letters, as Louise remembers.

Some have questioned the ethics of the IVF program, while others criticized the Brown family for being too open about this birth.

"My parents have no choice to open it. Otherwise, people will ask 'Why can't we see it? Is something wrong with him?'" Louise told TIME in 2018.

"Steptoe and Edwards need to have this birth published. If something goes wrong with me, it will be the end of the IVF program." he continued.