The History of IVF


This course introduces the history of IVF, from the early beginnings all the way through to the modern era, giving reference to the key publications across each decade.


About this course

  • Detailed references

    History of IVF with full references given for key publications, so that you can find out more

  • Interactive content

    Course broken down into modules and chapters, and supplemented with images and photos

  • Expert input

    Expert input from Prof. Simon Fishel, one of the world's most eminent fertility specialists

Course curriculum

  • 1
    The beginning
    • The beginning
  • 2
    The 1960s
    • 1961
    • 1965
  • 3
    The 1970s
    • 1973
    • 1976
    • 1978
    • 1979
  • 4
    The 1980s
    • 1980
    • 1981
    • 1982
    • 1983
    • 1984
    • 1985
    • 1986
    • 1987
    • 1988
    • 1989
  • 5
    The 1990s
    • 1990
    • 1991
    • 1992
    • 1993
    • 1994
    • 1995
    • 1996
    • 1997
    • 1998
    • 1999
  • 6
    The 2000s
    • 2000
    • 2001
    • 2002
    • 2003
  • 7
    A Closer Look: Early history of the first IVF babies (1967-1978)
    • The work of Edwards & Steptoe
    • The work & tragic episode of Professor Subhas Mukhopadhyay (Mukerji)
    • The strange Case (and timing) of Mr John & Mrs Doris Del Zio

Instructors

Prof Simon Fishel and Prof Zeev Shoham

Professor Simon Fishel is Founder and President of CARE Fertility, and is one of the world's most eminent specialists in the field of fertility treatment. He is recognised for his pioneering work in embryology and IVF.

Professor Fishel began his research in Cambridge with the late Professor Sir Robert Edwards, CBE, FRS Nobel Laureate several years before the birth of the first IVF baby in 1978. Simon was appointed Deputy Scientific Director of the world's first ‘test-tube baby clinic’ at Bourn Hall, Cambridge, while maintaining his lectureship at Cambridge University. In 1987 he was invited by the World Health Organisation and the Government of China, to establish an IVF programme in China and advise numerous clinics throughout China on the practices and principles of human IVF. Dr Fishel has been involved in many of the pioneering events in IVF since its inception.

Amongst his numerous scientific firsts, Professor Fishel's early work at Cambridge during the late 1970's was the first to demonstrate that embryos are capable of responding to their environment and communicating with the uterus and external factors. He was also the first to show that the human embryo in vitro synthesises and secretes the pregnancy hormone HCG (Science, 1984), and early in the 1990's he was the first to demonstrate conclusively the need to permanently immobilise the sperm tail for efficient and successful ICSI in humans, and during the late 1980's and early 1990's he pioneered human sperm microinjection.

In 1997, Simon formed CARE with the aim of making IVF treatment more widely available and maximising opportunities for those seeking treatment. Having dedicated his working life to research and the treatment of infertility, he is an acclaimed international scientist. He has published over 200 papers and edited 4 books on the development of IVF and micromanipulation technology. Moreover, he is serves on the Editorial Board and Reviewer for many International scientific journals. 

Professor Zeev Shoham is the Director of the Fertility and IVF Unit at the Kaplan Medical center in Rehovot, Israel. Professor Shoham has published over 140 papers in the field of Reproductive Medicine, and is the editor/author of the textbook, Female Infertility Therapy: Current Practice (1999), and one of the four editors of the textbook, Assisted Reproductive Techniques, which is now in its fourth edition.