The first baby conceived by in-vitro fertilization (IVF) was born in England in 1978. Since then, more than 3,000 babies conceived in this way have been born. The term in vitro literally means "in glass"; the fertilization takes place outside the body in a glass petri dish. The term is used in contrast to in-vivo--"in the living body"--fertilization. In vitro fertilization is indicated when women have no functional Fallopian tubes, the male cannot produce enough sperm to fertilize an egg in vivo, premature menopause (which requires an egg from a donor), and other infertility problems. IVF is made up of four major steps: Development (maturation) of the egg while still in the ovary; retrieving the egg upon its release; fertilizing the egg and growing it to the embryonic stage; and transferring the embryo into the uterus.

Early attempts at IVF were made over a century...