How many of you, my faithful readers, know who Elizabeth Carr is? No, she's not the girl abducted from bedroom of her family home in Utah; that's Elizabeth Smart. No, she's not the recent winner on "Survivor" nor "American Idol." She's not the reigning Miss of America, the Universe, Kentucky, nor any other state or principality. But she holds a very strong place in American history: Elizabeth Carr is America's first test-tube baby.
Elizabeth was born 23 years ago today. At birth, she was a normal 5 pound, 12 ounce baby. The obstetrician that delivered her told reporters that she was the perfect baby; the only difference in her and the other babies being born that day was that she was conceived through in vitro fertilization. FYI - "in vitro" in Latin means "in glass" - makes perfect sense since she was conceived in a petrie dish. The first picture above is of Elizabeth when she was just four cells old.
Just last year, Elizabeth got to meet Dr. Fred Wirth, the obstetrician that delivered her. Even after 23 years, the doctor was still proud from delivering the country's first test-tube baby. He still says "When her eyes opened up I was the first person that she saw." The second picture above is Elizabeth and Dr. Wirth.
In the ancient time of 1981, medical technology like this was scarey - it was something we'd only dreamed of or watched in a science fiction space movie. Now, IVF is commonplace; in fact, I have a friend who had a baby through IVF. Little Taylor is now a year and a half old - a healthy, happy cutie patootie. Maybe when she's older, her Mom will teach her about Elizabeth Carr.
1 comment:
I am saddended and shocked that my friend and our resident scientist GoalieGirl did not mention this reproductive milestone. But she's out frolicking about, enjoying her few weeks of freedom before the next semester starts. I'll let her slide this time. But she's on scientific/biological probation.
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