Elizabeth Carr is literally the first among equals. At first glance, the 44-year-old from Boston, appears to be average, but unbeknownst to most, she’s the nation’s first baby born via IVF. For Carr’s parents — Judith and Roger — infertility wasn’t the issue. Successfully carrying a baby to full-term was the couple’s problem. After three ectopic pregnancies — when the fertilized egg implants outside of the uterine cavity, often in the fallopian tube — her OBGYN told them about a new procedure called IVF — in vitro fertilization. The couple decided they had nothing to lose, and the rest, as they say, is history. Elizabeth was born on Dec. 28, 1981, taking the title of the first baby born via IVF in the United States. Now, nearly 50 years later, the pricey procedure accounts for 2.6% of American births. It’s not a cheap option, with a single round costing upwards of $25,000. At the time of Elizabeth’s birth, her parents were given the option of remaining anonymous, but they felt that people should know. Despite the Carr’s commitment to spotlighting just how normal Elizabeth is, she is often hit with a bizarre inquiry about her anatomy. “A frequent question I get is, ‘Do you have a belly button?’,” said Elizabeth. That’s because people think she was grown in a lab, which is a misconception. While conception happened in a Petri dish, the fertilized egg was implanted into Judith’s womb and nine months later Elizabeth was born, just like anyone else. Today, Elizabeth lives in New Hampshire and works in public relations for reproductive technology companies. She and her husband, Trevor Comeau, have one son who was conceived naturally, without the assistance of IVF.
