It was developed to assist sperm which may otherwise not be able to fertilise an egg.

It thickens the lining of the womb making it difficult for sperm to reach and fertilise an egg.

As a technician for Harvard fertility expert John Rock, Menkin's goal was to fertilise an egg outside the human body.

Earlier this year in China, scientists were able to make sperm from stem cells and then fertilise an egg to produce healthy mice.

Australian researchers said today they may have found a way to fertilise an egg with cells from any part of the body, rather than sperm.

IVF is the process of fertilising an egg outside of the woman's body, before returning it to the womb to grow and develop.