Jean Purdy was a British nurse and embryologist who worked alongside Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe throughout the development of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and was the first to observe the embryonic cells of what became Louise Brown, the first person born through IVF, dividing under the microscope. Edwards himself and later historians of embryology have argued Purdy deserved recognition as a co-discoverer rather than a subordinate assistant (this atlas's own Dissent 727, on the In Vitro Fertilization entity's discoverer fact); she was excluded from the 1980 Oldham commemorative plaque credited only to Edwards and Steptoe, an omission corrected only in 2015, and, having died in 1985, was not eligible for the 2010 Nobel Prize either, since the Nobel is never awarded posthumously.
Facts
Connections
Associated With
IVF collaborators.
Source Robert Edwards (Wikipedia)
Discoveries
Historians and Edwards himself argue Purdy is a genuine co-discoverer, not a subordinate; see this entity's own Dissent 727.
Source Jean Purdy (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikidata: Jean Purdy
- Wikidata Q55751275, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
- Wikidata P569 (w-bbfill-medicine3-0926)
View the Source2. Jean Purdy (Wikipedia)
WikipediaCareer; Role in embryo observation; 1980 plaque; Death
the first to see the embryonic cells dividing
- Discoveries: In Vitro Fertilization
View the Source Robert Edwards (Wikipedia)
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Jean Purdy's role in the development of IVF?
She helped develop IVF with Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe and was the first to see the embryonic cells dividing.
Jean Purdy was a British nurse, embryologist and pioneer of fertility treatment. She was responsible with Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe for developing in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Louise Joy Brown, the first "test-tube baby", was born on 25 July 1978, and Purdy was the first to see the embryonic cells dividing. She was also a co-founder of the Bourn Hall Clinic.
Why was Jean Purdy's contribution ignored for so long?
The article gives her early death, her role as a lab technician and her gender as contributing factors.
Her role at Bourn Hall and in the development of IVF was ignored for 30 years, and her vital contributions have been publicly recognised following the publication of Edwards' papers in the 2010s. Despite being a central figure in the development of IVF, her contributions were largely forgotten by the public and scientific community. The factors that contributed to this include her early death, her role as a lab technician and her gender. Edwards was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on the development of in vitro fertilisation.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.