The Midwest Reproductive Symposium international (MRSi), has just announced that the World’s first and America’s first IVF babies are to scheduled to meet for the first time. The event is to take place on Friday, June 16, 2017 at the MRSi 2017 event. MRSi is a “world-renowned Symposium dedicated to the life and science of fertility.” The two women, Louise Brown and Elizabeth Carr, will share their stories and celebrate their birthdays at the symposium event.

Born in July 1978, Brown was the first baby to be born in the world by In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Her birth set off a firestorm of media attention in the worlds of politics, medicine, and religion. Her birth also paved the way for millions of couples to see their dream of becoming parents finally be realized. After trying to live life out of the spotlight, Brown and her mother co-authored a book chronicling their experiences, stating “It occurred to me that I now have a role to play following the deaths of all of the people that brought me into the world.” Brown will be signing copies of My Life as the World’s First Test-Tube Baby and proceeds from sales of the book at the MRSi event will be donated to charity.

Three years later, Carr was born in December 1981 in Virginia as the first American baby born via IVF. Having observed what Brown’s family experienced before them, Carr’s family also tried to live out of the spotlight. Later as an adult and a parent herself, Carr felt a desire to help families struggling with infertility and has since published several articles about her story.

The 2017 Midwest Reproductive Symposium international will be held on June 15-17, 2017 at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. “The Symposium is dedicated to advancing the education of hundreds of nurses, doctors and other professionals in the world of reproductive health. The MRSi Symposium encourages attendees to share best practices and discuss topics relevant to reproductive medicine enabling all to provide patients with the highest outcomes.”