Clinical Application of In Vitro Fertilization and the Establishment of the Japan Society of Fertilization and Implantation.

Abstract

The first Japanese in vitro fertilization (IVF) baby was born in 1983. The author considered the processes,how clinical application of IVF started, focusing on the establishment of the Japan Society of Fertilization and Implantation (JSFI), and the movement of the Japan Society of Fertility and Sterility (JSFS), and the Microsurgery Study Group (MSG). For this purpose, the author mainly reviewed the relevant papers from professional journals. Fundamental studies of IVF were reported before clinical application in JSFS established in 1956 for studying infertility treatment. In 1982, while clinical-application was argumentative topic in JSFS, JSFI was established by obstetricians and gynecologists who supported the clinical application. The establishment of JSFI was told as a go sign for the clinical application. Also, one of the purposes of JSFI was said to be making a consensus for clinical application. It was however, not achieved at least with the civic groups such as the DNA Problem Study Group. MSG was established in 1979 for studying microsurgery of the fallopian tubes, which is practiced to the fallopian tube infertility like IVF. Those who criticized the clinical application of IVF had an expectation to the obstetricians and gynecologists who studied this surgery. However, this surgery was ineffective, especially for the treatment of severe diseases of the fallopian tubes. Also, main members of JSFI and MSG were duplicated. Therefore, MSG had limitations against the movement toward clinical application of IVF characterized by the establishment of JSFI.