The Founding Papers · FP·06 · 1980
1980: How it was done
Two years after Louise's birth, Edwards, Steptoe and Purdy set out the whole method for the first time, in twenty pages.
The story
The team had learnt to follow a woman's own natural cycle. They tested her urine every three hours, day and night, to catch the hormone surge that signals an egg is about to be released. Then Steptoe collected the egg, and the embryo was grown in the laboratory.
They also noticed something remarkable. The four pregnancies in this series all followed embryo transfers made late in the evening.
Jean Purdy is a named author, alongside the two men, on this full account of the work that changed medicine.
“Fertilization and cleavage occurred in 34 instances, and 32 embryos were put into the mother via the cervical canal. Four patients became pregnant.”From the paper's abstract
The paper
Establishing Full-Term Human Pregnancies Using Cleaving Embryos Grown in vitro
Robert Edwards, Patrick Steptoe, Jean Purdy
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 1980;87(9):737 to 756. September 1980. Read the paper.
How we know
Abstract from PubMed and Europe PMC, read 6 October 2026. The full text could not be opened.
Collapsible tab
Collapsible tab
Image block
Use these image blocks to tell your story, promote your products or create a beautiful gallery.
Text block
Use these text blocks to promote seasonal sales, store events or to tell your brand's story.
Text block
Use these text blocks to promote seasonal sales, store events or to tell your brand's story.
Image block
Use these image blocks to tell your story, promote your products or create a beautiful gallery.
Testimonials
Use these testimonials to share what customers are saying about your products and your brand.
Customer name
Source
Use these testimonials to share what customers are saying about your products and your brand.
Customer name
Source
Use these testimonials to share what customers are saying about your products and your brand.
Customer name
Source
Image with text
Use these blocks to share your brand's story. You can focus on a particular collection, a product detail, or even embed a video.
Image with text
Use these blocks to share your brand's story. You can focus on a particular collection, a product detail, or even embed a video.
