British scientist Robert Edwards, the man who devised the fertility
treatment IVF, has been awarded this year's Nobel prize for medicine.
His efforts in the 1950s, 60s and 70s led to the birth of the world's first "test tube baby" in July 1978.
Since then nearly four million babies have been born following IVF.
The prize committee said his achievements had made it possible to treat
infertility, a medical condition affecting 10% of all couples worldwide.
Fertility father
Prof Edwards, 85, began his fundamental research over 50 years ago.
He soon realised that fertilisation outside the body could represent a possible treatment of infertility.
Other scientists had shown that egg cells from rabbits could be
fertilised in test tubes when sperm was added, giving rise to offspring.
Prof Edwards went on to refine this technique for humans together with Patrick Steptoe, who died in 1988.
Their success means that today, the probability of an infertile couple
taking home a baby after a cycle of IVF today is one in five, about the
same that healthy couples have of conceiving naturally.
The pair faced numerous challenges in their quest, including opposition
from churches and governments, as well as scepticism from scientific
colleagues.
They also had trouble raising money for their work, and had to rely on privately donated funds.
But they went on to develop "a milestone of modern medicine", said the
Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute, which awarded the
prize.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11465715
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