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Pandora's Baby:
How the First Test Tube Babies Sparked the Reproductive Revolution by Robin Marantz Henig |
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vitro fertilization may seem routine today, but back in the early
1970’s when the development of it was just beginning, it seems
a horrendous idea. Many people, like the Pope and other leaders of
the church, thought it to be an idea against the natural ways of god.
But to women who didn’t have the ability to give birth to a
child of their own, it was their only hope. In Pandora’s
Baby, Robin Marantz Henig gives an insightful view into not only
the scientific aspects of in vitro fertilization, but also the political
issues that developed. Patrick Steptoe was the very first one to brave
the procedure. Although a scientist by the name of Landrum Shettles
planned on performing the procedure first; on an infertile women who
had already tried infertility drugs, and everything else out there.
Doris Del-zio was ready for a child, and when they made the incision
into her abdomen, they thought it would be the last. After enduring
the surgical pain afterward with no help from medicine (due to allergies),
she got a call from Shettles explaining that a scientist of higher
authority had thrown away the specimens from her and her husband due
to the controversies surrounding IVF. Patrick Steptoe was then the
first to carry out the procedure on Leslie Brown. Her perfectly normal
child was born almost a full nine months later.
I believe this book is a brilliant look into how IVF developed. It looked not only at the issues that the scientists faced, but also the political issues and controversies that erupted. For instance, many were afraid that the IVF baby would be born deformed or premature. But that turned into a misconception when Louise Brown was born as healthy as could be. Also when her sister, another IVF child, had a child of her own: the natural way. Henig also described what IVF led to, how it provided knowledge to lead to such things as cloning. This book educated me in more ways than just the scientific facts. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I was very interested in the topic of the book. I most definitely think this book should remain a Cornerstone nominee for the many possibilities it could pursue. I think many other people would enjoy this scientific and political book, and would be inspired to read more into the topic, and more modern creations. ~ Laura P. of Bangor, ME |
Jocelyn Hubbell
jhubbell @ curtislibrary.com
(207) 725-5242 ext. 238
Cornerstones of Science
Last updated May 29, 2007