Patrick Christopher Steptoe
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Patrick Christopher Steptoe | |
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Patrick Christopher Steptoe |
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Born | June 9, 1913 Oxford, England |
Died | March 21, 1988 (aged 74) |
Profession | Physician |
Institutions | Oldham General Hospital Bourn Hall Clinic |
Specialism | obstetrics and gynaecology |
Research | in vitro fertilization |
Known for | Development of in vitro fertilization |
Years active | 1939-1988 |
Education | King's College London St George's Hospital Medical School |
Patrick Christopher Steptoe (June 9, 1913, Oxford, England - March 21, 1988, Canterbury) was a British obstetrician and gynaecologist and a pioneer of fertility treatment. Steptoe was responsible with biologist and physiologist Robert Edwards for developing in vitro fertilization. The birth of the first test-tube baby, Louise Joy Brown, occurred on July 25, 1978.
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[edit] Education
Steptoe was educated at King's College London and graduated from St George's Hospital Medical School, London in 1939.
[edit] Laparoscopic Pioneer
After the Second World War, he studied obstetrics and, in 1951 he started to work at the Oldham General Hospital. From Dr. Raoul Palmer he learned the technique of laparoscopy and promoted its usefulness. In 1967 he published a book on Laparoscopy in Gynaecology. Subsequently, Robert Edwards, a physiologist from the University of Cambridge, contacted him and got him interested to collaborate in the development of in vitro fertilization.
[edit] Work with Edwards
Steptoe became the Director of the Centre for Human Reproduction, Oldham in 1969. Using laparoscopy, he collected the ova from volunteering infertile women who saw his place as their last hope to achieve a pregnancy. Edwards and his assistant Jean Purdy provided the laboratory expertise. During this time they had to endure criticism and hostility to their work. Finally, in 1978, the birth of Louise Brown changed everything. Although he encountered further criticism, other clinics were able to follow the lead and patients responded. To accommodate the increased patient number and train specialists, he and Edwards founded the Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridgeshire in 1980 of which he was a Medical Director until his death. He was succeeded by Peter Brinsden.
[edit] References
- Litynski, G S, “Patrick C. Steptoe: laparoscopy, sterilization, the test-tube baby, and mass media.”, JSLS : Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons / Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons 2 (1): 99-101, PMID:9876723, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9876723>
- Edwards, R G (1996), “Patrick Christopher Steptoe, C.B.E.: 9 June 1913 - 22 March 1988.”, Biographical memoirs of fellows of the Royal Society. Royal Society (Great Britain) 42: 435-52, 1996, PMID:11619339, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11619339>
- “Dr. Steptoe's full report--at last.”, Medical world news 20 (4): 10-11+, 1979, 1979 Feb 19, PMID:11645394, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11645394>
- Weintraub, Richard M (1978), “First test-tube baby born in British hospital.”, Washington post (Washington, D.C. : 1974): A1+, 1978 Jul 26, PMID:11648723, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11648723>
- Gwynne, Peter; Collings, Anthony & Gastel, Barbara (1978), “The test-tube baby.”, Newsweek 92 (4): 76, 1978 Jul 24, PMID:11662500, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11662500>
- Nossiter, Bernard (1978), “Test tube baby 'well': doctors predict more successes.”, Washington post (Washington, D.C. : 1974): A1+, 1978 Jul 27, PMID:11648647, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11648647>
- “By-passing a block to conception.”, Times (London, England : 1788): 15, 1978, 1978 Jul 27, PMID:11648651, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11648651>
- Hathout, H (1978), “Test tube babies!”, The Journal of the Kuwait Medical Association 12 (3): 135-6, 1978 Sep, PMID:11662645, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11662645>
- Shearer, Lloyd (1978), “Next: twin tube babies?”, Parade (New York, N.Y.): 23, 1978 Oct 8, PMID:12088000, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12088000>
- Cohn, Victor (1978), “Test-tube baby pioneer urges easing of curbs.”, Washington post (Washington, D.C. : 1974): A26, 1978 Oct 12, PMID:11648949, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11648949>
- Hand, G Othell (1978), “The manipulation of existence: conceiving the inconceivable.”, Vital speeches of the day 45 (4): 98-102, 1978 Dec 1, PMID:11662640, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11662640>
- “In vitro fertilization questions remain: no ethics problem, Dr. Steptoe says.”, American medical news 22 (8): 1, 15-6, 1979, 1979 Feb 23, PMID:10315865, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10315865>
- “That baby again.”, Time 113 (8): 82, 1979, 1979 Feb 19, PMID:11665072, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11665072>
- Edwards, R G (1996), “The history of assisted human conception with especial reference to endocrinology.”, Exp. Clin. Endocrinol. Diabetes 104 (3): 183-204, 1996, PMID:8817236, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8817236>