Creating Human Embryos in a Lab Test Tube

In 1978, the first successful birth of a child from in vitro fertilization (IVF) that was carried out by the British gynecologist Patrick Steptoe.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medical technology in which fertilization takes place outside the female body, in laboratory conditions.

The procedure of in vitro fertilization (IVF) includes extraction of mature eggs, incubation of eggs in a culture medium.

The process also includes preparation of the sperm, sometimes when the quality of the sperm is low intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be required for insemination.

In this procedure, the selected highest quality spermatozoon is moved under a microscope directly into the egg cell.

Fertilization takes place within 12-48 hours, after which the embryo is transferred to the incubator.

The mature embryo is introduced through the cervix into the uterus, where the blastocyst implants in the uterine wall about three days later. This is how pregnancy occurs.