In vitro fertilization technique (IVF) is the process of bringing together and fertilizing spermatozoa that have reached a certain maturity and capacitation and oocytes that have also reached a certain maturity (in the metaphase II stage) in a suitable environment outside the body. In order for this process to take place, an environment outside the body ( in vitro) that is equivalent to the natural environment, i.e. the body environment (in vivo environment), must be created.
The first test tube baby in the world
Although studies on the treatment of infertility are said to date back to Hippocrates, the first study on in vitro fertilization (IVF) of egg cells outside the body was performed by Sherk with an animal egg cell in 1878. The human egg cell was first isolated from the ovary in 1939.
IVF studies have a history of over half a century. The first fertilization of a human egg cell outside the body was achieved in 1968 by B. Edvars and Barry Bavister.
The first embryo transplant from an egg cell fertilized outside the body was performed in 1971. No pregnancy occurred after this transplant . The world's first test tube baby was Louise Brown, born on July 25, 1978 in Oldham, England.
Many innovations have been made in this field since the first in vitro fertilization event. Today, in vitro fertilization is widely used among assisted reproductive techniques. In vitro fertilization applications, supported by many other microbiological techniques, are becoming a glimmer of hope for many couples experiencing infertility problems to achieve their longing to have a child.
Historical development of in vitro fertilization practices
Embryo freezing: The process of gradually cooling and freezing embryos in a medium prepared from preservative culture solutions and storing them in liquid nitrogen at -196C0. This process allows the embryos to be stored frozen and thawed and used at any time. The first pregnancy with a frozen and then thawed embryo was in 1983 and the first birth was in 1984. After the first birth, the embryo freezing technique developed rapidly and became a routine practice in in vitro fertilization treatments, especially after the 1990s.
Oocyte (egg cell) freezing : After the first birth obtained with frozen embryos, reproductive techniques continued to develop rapidly. In 1986, the first pregnancy was achieved by freezing and thawing a human egg cell.
Gamete [reproductive cell] intrafallopian transfer: This method, known as GIFT for short, is an assisted reproductive technique used to reduce the risks of fertilization of the egg by encountering sperm in the natural fertilization environment, and the first pregnancy and birth in this way occurred in 1984.
Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT): It is the process of placing the fertilized egg, or zygote, into the uterus. The first birth in this way occurred in 1986.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): This method is the process of fertilization by injecting sperm that are weak or do not have the ability to fertilize the egg cell directly into the egg cell with special devices. This method is used in cases of male infertility. The first pregnancy with intracytoplasmic sperm injection was achieved in 1992.
Testicular or epididymal sperm aspiration (tesa), percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (pesa), microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MeSa): These are assisted reproductive techniques used to have children in cases of male infertility . In short, these methods are based on obtaining sperm cells (spermatozoa) from the testicular tissue.
When was the first IVF procedure performed in Turkey?
The first IVF center in Turkey was established on August 23, 1988, within Ege University, and Turkey's first IVF baby was born in this center in 1989. Later, another IVF center was opened within Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Hospital in Ankara. This center is the first IVF center opened among state hospitals, and is also the largest public IVF center.
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