The Lecture, 1979

doi:10.1017/9781009210997.004

3 - The Lecture, 1979

‘Pregnancies Following Implantation of Human Embryos Grown in Culture’

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 February 2023

Fiona Kisby Littleton ,

Susan Bewley and

James Owen Drife

Fiona Kisby Littleton and

Susan Bewley

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Fiona Kisby Littleton: Affiliation:
University College London Institute of Education
Susan Bewley: Affiliation:
Emeritus, King's College London
James Owen Drife: Affiliation:
Emeritus, University of Leeds

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Summary

This chapter transcribes in full the groundbreaking lecture given by Edwards and Steptoe at the RCOG on 26 January 1979. The historical context is evoked by having the original images of the slides that the lecture spoke to inserted at the places where they were referenced, as they were essential for purposes of illustration. A scholarly set of notes is appended to help readers understand the text from the vantage point of four decades later, citing other relevant medical, scientific, pharmaceutical and biographical work.

Keywords

in vitro fertilization history Robert Edwards Patrick Steptoe experimental research programme infertility patients original slides transcript clinical case histories

Type: Chapter
Information: Presenting the First Test-Tube Baby
The Edwards and Steptoe Lecture of 1979
, pp. 48 - 130

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009210997.004 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2023

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References

See Chapter 2 for Edwards’ method of delivering conference papers.Google Scholar

Sir Edward Anthony John Alment (1922–2002), President, 1978–81. www.rcog.org.uk/en/about-us/history-of-the-college/presidents-of-the-rcog/, accessed 21 June 2018. For RCOG officers and council for 1979, see RCOG. RCOG Annual Reports 1976–1982: Fifty-First Annual Report. London, 1979; p. 2.Google Scholar

See RCOG Archives London, file E10/8A/4 for papers associated with this lecture. It was set up by Vivian Green-Armytage, vice president of the RCOG (1949–52), ‘to … cement more closely the bonds of friendship between the British Empire and the United States of America’. The lectureships were to be ‘on subjects of sterility and sub-fertility and … Obstetrics and Gynaecology’. Steptoe made an application for the award which was accepted on 5 December 1969. His presentation on ‘Recent Endoscopic Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of the Infertile Couple’ occurred on 25 September 1970 and included a section on ‘Recovery of Human Oocytes and Their Utilisation’. See also RCOG. Annual Reports 1976–1982: Fifty-Second Annual Report. London, 1980; p. 17.Google Scholar

For patients treated between 1969 and 1978, detailing drug and surgical interventions they received, see E&J, Supplementary Table.Google Scholar

Steptoe, PC, Edwards, RG. Reimplantation of a human embryo with subsequent tubal pregnancy. The Lancet 1976;307(7965):880–82. See also Littleton F, Bewley S. Honouring ‘patient 38’ – a mother of all IVF mothers? Reproductive Biomedicine and Society Online 2019;8:7–9.Google Scholar

Mr Holmes, Nursing Officer, Kershaw’s Cottage Hospital, Turf Lane, Royton, Lancashire. Steptoe and Edwards had used the facilities there since June 1971: ML, p. 120; Hargreaves, GM. Dr Kershaw’s Cottage Hospital Royton. Privately published, 1999; pp. 31, 38.Google Scholar

For drugs, hormone assays, culture media compositions, etc., see Elder, K, Johnson, MH. The Oldham Notebooks: an analysis of the development of IVF 1969–1978. III. Variations in Procedure. Reproductive BioMedicine and Society Online 2015;1(1):19–33, and supplementary material.Google Scholar

Romero, R. Giants in obstetrics and gynecology: a profile of Bruno Lunenfeld , MD, FRCOG, FACOG (hon). American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2018;219(3):225–34; for C. Gemzell and A. C. Crooke, see the bibliographies in Gemzell, CA, ‘Ovulation’, and Crooke, AC, ‘Human Gonadotrophins’, in Philipp, EE, Barnes, J, Newton, M, eds. Scientific Foundations of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. London: Heinemann Medical, 1970; pp. 131–33, 495–508. See also notes in Steptoe PC, Edwards RG. Laparoscopic recovery of preovulatory human oocytes after priming of ovaries with gonadotrophins. The Lancet 1970;295(7649):683–89.Google Scholar

‘Talbot et al’, slide 27. A Dr James Mackenzie Talbot, who was involved in the IVF research programme in Australia, alongside the British endeavour, was said to have visited Steptoe and Edwards during their Oldham days. Leeton, J. Test Tube Revolution: The Early History of IVF. Melbourne, Australia: Monash University Publishing, 2013; pp. 3–4;Google Scholar Google Scholar

Culture media mentioned in relation to early in vitro fertilisation work includes those by Ham, Tyrode, Earl, Whittingham, Whitten, Hank, Bavister and Waymouth. For culture media used by Edwards’ team, see Bavister, BD. Environmental factors important for in vitro fertilization in the hamster. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 1969;18:544;Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar

The first embryo transfers occurred in December 1971; E&J, p. 15.Google Scholar

For publications by Enders, see, amongst other items, Enders, A. Cytology of human early implantation. Research in Reproduction 1976;8(5):1–2;Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar

See note 17.Google Scholar

Ages of patients, where known, are listed in E&J, supplementary table.Google Scholar

P38; see E&J, supplementary table, pp. 47, 49, 52.Google Scholar

For details of natural cycles, see E&J.Google Scholar

Killip, M. A test for detection and determination of low levels of HCG and LH. New Zealand Journal of Medical Laboratory Technology 1974;28(2):49–50;Google Scholar Google Scholar

For Hertig, see Hertig, AT, Rock, J. Searching for early fertilized human ova. Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation 1973;4(3):121–39;Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar

Saxena, BB, Saito, T, Said, N, Landesman, R. Radioreceptor assay of luteinizing hormone-human chorionic gonadotropin in urine: detection of the luteinizing hormone surge and pregnancy. Fertility and Sterility 1977;28(2):163–67;Google Scholar Google Scholar

This is ‘Patient 1’ in CA, p. 759. P264, Mrs Lesley Brown, baby Louise; E&J, supplementary table, pp. 71, 75.Google Scholar

As it was recently the beginning of a new year, this refers to August 1977, not 1978.Google Scholar

A paper report was perhaps held up to show the audience at this point.Google Scholar

‘Presumably a verbal slip; this was correctd to ‘XX’ in the printed paper, CA, of 1980’.Google Scholar

Illustration 3.70 is left blank in the RCOG archives. Copy preserved in EDWS 5/3/2 part 1 of 2.Google Scholar

This is ‘Patient 2’ in CA, p. 761. P267, E&J, supplementary table, pp. 76, 79, 82.Google Scholar

This is ‘Patient 3’ in CA, pp. 763–65. P268, E&J, supplementary table, pp. 78, 81.Google Scholar

Bewley, S, Littleton, F. How should we honour and memorialise the experimental subjects who gave their hopes and lives to the development of IVF in Britain in the 1970s? British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2016;123(9):1566.Google Scholar

This is ‘Patient 4’ in CA, p. 765. P247, E&J, supplementary table, pp. 77, 83. Mrs Grace Montgomery/Macdonald, baby Alastair.Google Scholar

Dr Kevin Moore and Dr Finlay Campbell assisted Steptoe at Dr Kershaw’s Cottage Hospital. Moore stated ‘there were two separate aspects of Kershaw’s. … One was the “maternity ward in waiting” … run for Mr Steptoe’s fertility patients and at the other end, the normal business being conducted for the GPs’ patients. … Steptoe negotiated with the Management Committee to use part of … Dr Kershaw’s … one wing of the In-patient beds, eight or nine at the most’. Hargreaves, GM. Dr Kershaw’s Cottage Hospital Royton. Privately published, 1999; pp. 31, 33, 38.Google Scholar

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3 - The Lecture, 1979

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