Heroes and Cultural Identity Project

SCE Heroes - Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe

IVF: BRAVE NEW BABY DOCTORS

ROBERT EDWARDS AND PATRICK STEPTOE

by Nicole Allison

How did the coming together of two men, namely, and, revolutionise the medical world?

Edwards, whilst pursuing his PhD in Edinburgh in the 1950's, began to develop his interest of how life started by studying and working with mouse embryo's. It was this early research that would develop a fertility hormone used decades later for the same purpose in women. This deep rooted interest in fertility continued for Edwards and saw him years later laying the foundation for what we now know as IVF; creating human embryos in a glass dish (in vitro). He sourced the eggs from bits of ovary that had been removed during hysterectomies. Edwards, having made huge progress since working with mouse embryos, now found himself at a point where he could progress no further without a procedure to safely remove much needed eggs from women. At that time egg removal from women involved cutting open the abdomen ( in itself a procedure fraught with risks).

On reading a medical journal, Edwards came across a paper by Patrick Steptoe detailing a procedure pioneered by him involving a technique called "LAPAROSCOPY". This technique claimed to allow access to the ovary through a minimally invasive incision into the naval.

This technique paired with the work of Edwards would be the final [piece of the jigsaw and following a phone call the partnership of Edwards and Steptoe began.

Although both driven by determination and belief in what they could achieve medically in terms of fertility, they were soon to find that this was not a view shared by others. Criticism and ethical concerns could be expected from the public, who, at that time would find the whole concept of a child being created in a laboratory inconceivable but Steptoe and Edwards found these concerns permeating throughout the medical world; indeed as the concerns became more widespread, they found what little funding that had been available quickly withdrawn. Ironically, research from this point being funded by legal abortions performed by Steptoe.

For over 10 years they persevered with critical research despite a barrage of criticism and numerous failed attempts.

Finally, in late 1977, a 29 year old Lesley Brown (referred to Dr Steptoe) underwent the experimental "in vitro" fertilization; Using a laparoscope Steptoe removed an egg from one of Lesley's ovaries and passed it to Edwards who then mixed the egg with the sperm and once fertilized placed it into a special solution (created to nurture the egg as it began to divide). Unlike previous attempts when they had waited 4-5 days before returning the egg, on this occasion they replaced the egg into the uterus after only 2 and a half days. What happened next surpassed everyone's expectations as the pregnancy continued seemingly without a hitch. 9 months later the world witnessed it's first IVF birth, changing the medical profession worldwide

Nicole Allison is a science student following a one year university access course in biological sciences.