Louise Brown
Encyclopedia
Louise Joy Brown is the first person to be conceived by in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
. On 10 November 1977, Lesley Brown underwent a procedure developed by Patrick Steptoe
and Robert Edwards, later to become known as IVF. Edwards was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize
in Medicine for this work.
Brown was born 25 July 1978 at 11:47 p.m. at Oldham General Hospital
, Oldham, via planned Caesarean section
delivered by registrar John Webster
. She weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces (2.608 kg) at birth.
Although the media referred to her as a "test tube baby", her conception
actually took place in a petri dish
.
Her younger sister, Natalie Brown, was also conceived through IVF, four years later, and became the world's fortieth IVF baby, and the first one to give birth herself—naturally—in 1999.
.
Shortly before the death of Pope Paul VI
, when asked for his reaction to Brown's birth, the patriarch of Venice, Albino Luciani (later Pope John Paul I
), expressed concerns about the possibility that artificial insemination could lead to women being used as "baby factories", but also refused to condemn the parents of the child (cf moral theology of John Paul I
).
Birth
Louise Brown was born to Lesley and John Brown, who had been trying to conceive for nine years, but without success because of blocked fallopian tubesFallopian tube obstruction
Fallopian tube obstruction is a major cause of female infertility. Blocked fallopian tubes are unable to let the ovum and the sperm converge, thus making fertilization impossible. Fallopian Tubes are also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges .-Types:About 20% of female infertility can be...
. On 10 November 1977, Lesley Brown underwent a procedure developed by Patrick Steptoe
Patrick Steptoe
Patrick Christopher Steptoe FRS was a British obstetrician and gynaecologist and a pioneer of fertility treatment. Steptoe was responsible with biologist and physiologist Robert Edwards for developing in vitro fertilization...
and Robert Edwards, later to become known as IVF. Edwards was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in Medicine for this work.
Brown was born 25 July 1978 at 11:47 p.m. at Oldham General Hospital
Royal Oldham Hospital
The Royal Oldham Hospital is a NHS hospital in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It forms part of Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and was opened with its present name on 1 December 1989. Its services are commissioned by NHS Oldham....
, Oldham, via planned Caesarean section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
delivered by registrar John Webster
John Webster (doctor)
John Webster FRCOG is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Present at the world's first IVF birth, Louise Brown, Dr Webster has continued to develop and further research in the field of IVF .-Life and career:...
. She weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces (2.608 kg) at birth.
Although the media referred to her as a "test tube baby", her conception
Conception
Conception, or a concept, is an abstract idea or a mental symbol.Conception may also refer to:* Conception, or fertilisation, the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism.* Conception , an album by Miles Davis...
actually took place in a petri dish
Petri dish
A Petri dish is a shallow glass or plastic cylindrical lidded dish that biologists use to culture cells or small moss plants. It was named after German bacteriologist Julius Richard Petri, who invented it when working as an assistant to Robert Koch...
.
Her younger sister, Natalie Brown, was also conceived through IVF, four years later, and became the world's fortieth IVF baby, and the first one to give birth herself—naturally—in 1999.
Ethical and religious issues
Although the Browns knew the procedure was experimental, the doctors did not tell them that no case had yet resulted in a baby. This has raised questions of informed consentInformed consent
Informed consent is a phrase often used in law to indicate that the consent a person gives meets certain minimum standards. As a literal matter, in the absence of fraud, it is redundant. An informed consent can be said to have been given based upon a clear appreciation and understanding of the...
.
Shortly before the death of Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
, when asked for his reaction to Brown's birth, the patriarch of Venice, Albino Luciani (later Pope John Paul I
Pope John Paul I
John Paul I , born Albino Luciani, , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and as Sovereign of Vatican City from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal history, resulting in the most recent Year of Three Popes...
), expressed concerns about the possibility that artificial insemination could lead to women being used as "baby factories", but also refused to condemn the parents of the child (cf moral theology of John Paul I
Moral theology of John Paul I
The moral theology of John Paul I has been openly debated and his opinions expressed on Humanae Vitae, artificial insemination and homosexuality have been cited as a significant part of Pope John Paul I conspiracy theories.-Contraception:...
).