Currently, there are 390,000 children and adults in the UK who were conceived through IVF, but it all began with one little girl. Louise Joy Brown, born in 1978, made global headlines as the ‘first test tube baby’.
Despite never actually being in a test tube, Louise was the first person to be born via in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), a process that has since brought millions into the world. Her birth in Oldham, England, remains one of the most significant breakthroughs of the 20th century.
A new Netflix docu-drama tells the story of the decade-long struggle faced by the pioneering scientists behind IVF and the 46-year-old’s birth. Louise supported the film and even visited the set to chat with the writers and director, all of whom have personal experiences with IVF.
However, the mum-of-two expressed less support for modern IVF treatments, mainly due to their cost. Speaking to ITV, Louise emphasised that the current state of IVF treatment is far from what its inventors intended.
She said: “I know the 3 pioneers wanted it to be used by everybody who needed it, and it breaks my heart that not everybody who needs it can use it. Mum and Dad didn’t have any money; they were normal working-class people, and I think that was one of the reasons Mum was chosen.”
Louise’s parents, John and Lesley Brown, have sadly passed away, but the film has given her a new appreciation for their journey leading up to her birth. After attending the film’s premiere at the London Film Festival, where she was joined by her long-time friend Alastair MacDonald, the second IVF baby and first IVF-born boy, she reflected on her blog.
She said: “Seeing the film has made Alastair and I realise how much our mums went through. It was lovely that his mum Grace MacDonald – who helped Jack and Rachel with their research for the film – was on the red carpet too. “”Women, like her, who went through the programme in Oldham not knowing if it would ever work are real heroes as they paved the way for all those who can access support today. They brought hope to millions and joy to those who have been successful in having children.”