Sampling pipette used in the process of IVF

Sampling pipette holder, unsigned, Great Britain, 1999. Used in the IVF process.

On 25 July 1978, Louise Brown was born, becoming the first baby conceived and born after IVF treatment. This breakthrough came from years of groundbreaking research by Robert Edwards, Jean Purdy, and Patrick Steptoe. During IVF, eggs are fertilised with sperm outside of the body and then the resulting embryos are transferred to the uterus. Since the 1970s, many innovations have made the IVF process more efficient and effective. In 1980, Edwards, Purdy, and Steptoe reported a success rate of 6%, whereas in 2019, the success rate of IVF treatment in the UK for under 35s was 32%. However, there is a postcode lottery when it comes to receiving IVF treatment on the NHS, and many people have to pay for private treatment. It can also take several cycles of IVF to be successful and can often be mentally and physically challenging.