This GCSE Biology quiz examines IVF, or in vitro fertilisation. It looks at both the mechanics and the ethics of producing 'test tube babies'.
IVF stands for in vitro fertilisation and when it was first developed, the newspapers referred to the process as producing 'test tube babies'. The world's first test tube baby, Louise Brown, was born in 1978. Her birth marked the beginning of a new era in human reproductive biology and has offered hope for childless couples worldwide. If a couple are having difficulty conceiving a child naturally, in many cases IVF can be used.
IVF involves the creation of an embryo outside the body, which is implanted back into the woman and develops normally into a baby. The hormone FSH is used to stimulate the production of ova (egg cells) which are collected from the woman. The healthiest and strongest sperm from the man is then selected and mixed with the ova in the hope that some of them will be fertilised.