The year that was:THE BIRTH of Louise Brown on July 25th made history around the world because she was the first baby to be conceived outside the human body.
Lesley and John Brown had been trying to conceive for nine years, but without success because of a defect in Lesley's Fallopian tubes. Dr Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe removed an egg surgically from her ovary, fertilised it with sperm in a laboratory dish and implanted it in her uterus, creating the world's first test-tube baby.
Edwards and Steptoe had been working on the technique for 12 years before this success. Louise Brown was born by Caesarean section and weighed 5 1bs, 12 oz. Her younger sister, Natalie, was also conceived through IVF four years later and Natalie went on to become the first IVF baby to give birth in 1999. Louise married in 2004 and her wedding was attended by Dr Edwards who, she said, was like a granddad to her. Her son, Cameron, conceived naturally, was born two years ago. Patrick Steptoe died in 1988.
There was a renewed media focus on Louise Brown when she celebrated her 30th birthday in July. She told reporters that she had enjoyed a normal life but children at school used to ask questions like how did you fit in a test tube?
An assortment of celebrities were born in 1978, including glamour model Jordan, Westlife's Nicky Byrne, model Jodie Kidd, actors Ashton Kutcher and Katie Holmes and singer Nelly Furtado.
Some sports stars entered the world in 1978 including footballer Didier Drogba, and rugby players Geordan Murphy and Shane Horgan. - Alison Healy