World's first 'test tube baby' makes first appearance in China

Louise Brown, the first human born via the in vitro fertilization, or IVF, made her debut in China on Thursday afternoon as she addressed at the 12th annual meeting of the Chinese Society of Reproductive Medicine, held in Southwest China's Chongqing.

IVF, developed by Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe, is a process of fertilization where an egg is combined with sperm outside the body, in vitro (in glass).

It is estimated that eight million children have been born worldwide using IVF and other assisted reproduction techniques since 1978, according to latest report by International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technology.

"We are forever grateful for their pioneering work that made IVF a reality," said the 40-year-old British woman.

"I don't think I fully realize what it really meant until I had my first child 11 years ago."

Brown has two sons, both conceived naturally. She now works full time at a shipping company in Bristol and has been touring around the world to attend IVF related events.

"I try to make people more aware of things and it (IVF) is not a shameful thing and people need to talk about that."

She said she underwent over one hundred tests after her birth and everything was fine, so there was no follow-up checkups afterwards.

"I just live a very normal life," she said.

China has the largest number of test tube babies in the world, up to 200,000 babies are born via IVF every year, according to China's Science and Technology Daily.

China's first IVF baby was born in 1988 in Beijing.

The country has an estimated 40 million infertile couples - those who are unable to have a pregnancy naturally after trying for six months. Roughly 20 percent need fertility treatment, according to the National Health Commission.