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Abstract

Exposing the human ovum to spermatozoa outside the mother and transferring the resulting embryo to her uterus is a relatively recent, and rapidly evolving, approach to overcoming human fertility problems. The first reports of pregnancies following the use of this technique in humans were published during the 1970s (de Kretzer et al. 1973; Steptoe and Edwards 1976, 1978). Since then, the technique known as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) has resulted in new insights into gamete interaction and early embryonic development, as well as numerous pregnancies and more than 200 live births for couples with infertility problems.

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© 1984 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Westmore, A. (1984). History. In: Wood, C., Trounson, A. (eds) Clinical In Vitro Fertilization. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3317-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3317-9_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-3319-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-3317-9

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