The History of IVF

1985
Human pregnancy by in vitro fertilization (IVF) using sperm aspirated from the epididymis. (Temple-Smith PD, Southwick GJ, Yates CA, Trounson AO, de Kretser DM. Human pregnancy by in vitro fertilization (IVF) using sperm aspirated from the epididymis. J In Vitro Fert Embryo Transf. 1985;2(3):119-22).

Epididymis sperm aspiration

Vaginal oocyte aspiration

Ultrasound image of follicles

GIFT procedure
Matts Wikland together with Lars Hamberger and
Lars Nilsson in Gothenburg, Sweden, described the possibility of using a vaginal sector scanner (transvaginal technique) for oocyte aspiration (Wikland M, Enk L, Hamberger L. Transvesical and transvaginal approaches for the aspiration of follicles by use of ultrasound. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1985;442:182-94).

First report of the use of abdominal ultrasound guidance for embryo transfer. (Strickler RC, Christianson C, Crane JP, Curato A, Knight AB, Yang V. Ultrasound guidance for human embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 1985 ;43:54-61).

The first reported birth after replacement of hatching blastocyst cryopreserved at expanded blastocyst stage (Cohen J, Simons RF, Fehilly CB, Fishel SB, Edwards RG, Hewitt J, Rowlant GF, Steptoe PC, Webster JM. Birth after replacement of hatching blastocyst cryopreserved at expanded blastocyst stage. Lancet. 1985;16;1:647).
quinn

In 1985 Quinn and Warnes published a formula entitled Human Tubal Fluid (HTF) that mimics the in vivo environment to which the embryo is exposed (Quinn P, Kerin JF, Warnes GM. Improved pregnancy rate in human in vitro fertilization with the use of a medium based on the composition of human tubal fluid. Fertil Steril 1985;44:493-8).

First ultrasound guidance for human embryo transfer. (Strickler RC, Christianson C, Crane JP, Curato A, Knight AB, Yang V.Ultrasound guidance for human embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 1985;43(1):54-61).

First Delivery Resulting From Gestational Surrogacy. (Utian WH, Sheean L, Goldfarb JM, Kiwi R. Successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer from an infertile woman to a surrogate. N Engl J Med. 1985:21;313(21):1351-2).

First successful egg donation in Europe. (Feichtinger W, Kemeter P. Pregnancy after total ovariectomy achieved by ovum donation. ancet. 1985:28;2(8457):722-3).

Transabdominal ultrsound guided embryo transfer (Strickler RC, Christianson C, Crane JP, Curato A, Knight AB, Yang V. Ultrasound guidance for human embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 1985;43(1):54-61).

Navot et al. reported the possibility of artificially induced endometrial cycles and establishment of pregnancies in the absence of ovaries. (Navot D, Laufer N, Kopolovic J, Rabinowitz R, Birkenfeld A, Lewin A, Granat M, Margalioth EJ, Schenker JG.Artificially induced endometrial cycles and establishment of pregnancies in the absence of ovaries. N Engl J Med. 1986 Mar 27;314(13):806-11). Although it was published in 1986 it was first reported in 1985.