History and Science of World's First Test-Tube Baby

The world's first test-tube baby was born in 1978. The
Edwards and Steptoe team in England accomplished this
medical breakthrough with the successful birth of Louise
Joy Brown, who was conceived by her parents, Lesley and
John Brown, through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Her birth
demonstrated to the public that human gametes could be
safely handled in a laboratory to engineer human conception. The innovation of IVF has profoundly touched our
society and led to Edwards' being awarded the 2010 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine. This chapter illustrates
the history and science of the world's first test-tube baby—
one of the most widely broadcast medical events the world
had experienced to date—as viewed 40 years later. The authors revisit this medical advancement through a review
of Edwards and Steptoe's scientific and clinical missions
as well as an observation of the event's portrayal by the
world's news media.