1978 · Europe · Medicine
The birth of the first IVF baby demonstrated that fertilization and early embryo development could be supported outside the body, beginning a new era of assisted reproduction.
Atlas dossier · Cold War & DecolonizationFree device narration · synchronized English captions · transcript available
Why it matters
The birth of the first IVF baby demonstrated that fertilization and early embryo development could be supported outside the body, beginning a new era of assisted reproduction.
Robert Edwards · Patrick Steptoe · Jean Purdy · patients · embryologists
Reproductive technologies expanded possibilities for many families while provoking vital questions about consent, access, embryos and genetic selection.
Interpretation note
This dossier distinguishes the event’s basic chronology from later arguments about meaning, responsibility and legacy. When comparing religious, national, Indigenous or scholarly interpretations, consult the primary and institutional sources above alongside peer-reviewed historical work.
Elsewhere in the world
1978–2007 · GlobalGPS, mobile networks and digital navigationSatellite positioning, cellular networks and portable devices made location, communication and navigation continuously available to billions of people.
1978–1979 · Middle EastIranian RevolutionA broad coalition of religious, secular, student and labour opposition brought down the Pahlavi monarchy. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile and an Islamic Republic was established through a turbulent revolutionary process.
1981–2026 · GlobalHIV/AIDS pandemic and activismHIV/AIDS caused immense loss while stigma and unequal access compounded suffering; activism reshaped research, treatment approval and global health.