"He was not welcomed with open arms"

Louise Brown, the first in vitro fertilization baby (IVF), was born 40 years ago today at the Oldham General Hospital in England.

Known at the time as the first baby "test tube", the circumstances of its conception The egg, fertilized in a test tube and then inserted into the uterus, was considered to be 39 as a miracle of modern medicine.

She was the only one of 457 egg collections to end with a live birth. 19659002] His birth gave hope to millions of infertile couples. To date, about six million babies are born worldwide following IVF.

IVF was slow in coming to Ireland: the first baby was born on January 14, 1986 at St. James Hospital in a clinic of Prof Robert Harrison

The birth of a little girl made the first from The Irish Times . His identity has never been disclosed. The Medical Council has approved in vitro fertilization only after years of quarrels, and only from the moment it would be offered exclusively to married couples.

The program that led to the birth of the first IVF baby in Ireland was suspended in May 1985

Clane Success

The first successful IVF program in Ireland came from a clinic in Clane, Co Kildare, founded by Dr. Tony Walsh in 1987. Dr. Walsh said it was the first "real IVF clinic" in Ireland.

"It was a very different Ireland and a very different era," he recalls. "People were then much more shy about fertility problems.

It's still a lot in the private domain. We always talk about bringing in public funds, but I do not hold my breath

"In 1988, the bishops objected to it for moral reasons, and opposed sperm taking by men through the" Onan sin "[masturbation] C & # 39; was the level of debate underway.He was not welcomed with open arms. "

Dr. Walsh founded the Sims Clinic in 1997.

Dr. John Kennedy, Medical Director of the Rotunda IVF and Sims Clinics, reported that 5,000 to 6,000 cycles of IVF occur each year in Ireland, although some couples go abroad for reasons of cost

. The success of in vitro fertilization and the chances of successful pregnancy can range from 70 percent for younger women to just 1 to 2 percent among older women

He said the cost is still extremely prohibitive in Ireland. € 5,000. Successive governments have suggested making IVF available to the public, but nothing has come of it.

"It's still a lot in the private domain.We always talk about bringing public funds, but I do not hold my breath."

Case Study: "We have the best gift of all time "

Many couples who go through IVF experience roller coasters.For Marie and Brian O. Callaghan, who live in Limerick, the trip lasted four years and seven cycles of IVF, for a total cost of € 50,000

Marie, originally from Glasgow, was diagnosed with extensive endometriosis when she was 32.

When you cross it, it's the hardest thing, but when that comes walking, it's the best thing in the world.

She and Brian started IVF treatment in 2006. They had four cycles of IVF, resulting in four pregnancies, but all were lost early. Two other cycles were also unsuccessful.

Finally, on the seventh attempt, they had a baby, Padraig, who was born in 2010, even though this pregnancy was a close call.

Padraig is now eight years old and will soon start second grade at the elementary school.

IVF, says Mary, has transformed their lives "a million percent".

"It's the most wonderful thing that can happen to us.We have the best gift ever [Padraig]," she says.

"During those four years, you live and breathe, but now you forget all that you have gone through, because [Padraig] is here, you're going through it, it's the most difficult thing, but when it works, it's the best thing in the world. You forget the pressure, the cost and the emotion, we can not imagine life without him. "