SAN RAMON, Calif., Feb. 21, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When Brian Strickland and his wife Melissa give birth to their first child later this year, Brian will join the ranks of a small minority of Americans who represent the "test tube" generation as parents.
Strickland and Elizabeth Castro Wilson, born just two months apart in 1985, were the first children conceived through in vitro fertilization at Reproductive Science Center of the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the West Coast's first IVF clinics.
Strickland and Wilson, who are now in their late 20s, are marking another RSC milestone by being among an estimated less than 50 IVF babies born in California to have had children of their own – RSC also estimates that less than 600 "test tube" babies nationally now have children.
As the practice celebrates the births of more than 5,000 children and its 30th anniversary, attention has again focused on their first IVF babies.
"It's really special to be apart of the RSC family and know that you serve as witness to a new generation in fertility," stated Strickland, who met Wilson at RSC's 25th anniversary. "As IVF specialists work towards new heights in fertility, I hope that our story helps to add meaning to the work that they do."
Wilson now lives in Prescott, Ariz. with her daughter.
"We've covered a lot of ground since RSC first opened its doors," said Dr. Louis Weckstein, who serves as medical and IVF director and has been with RSC for 23 years. "As our technology matures to ensure the best possible pregnancy success rates, stories like Brian's and Elizabeth's remind us how fortunate we are to see the lasting effects of IVF."
For more information, please visit RSCBayArea.com, Facebook.com/RSCBayArea or Twitter.com/RSCBayArea.
Reproductive Science Center
Reproductive Science Center of the San Francisco Bay Area was established in 1983, two years after the first successful birth through in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the U.S. RSC was responsible for the nation's second successful birth of a baby from a frozen embryo. Today it is recognized for its pregnancy rates and work with egg donors and egg donation for patients from northern California, the Western United States, Asia, India and around the world for patients pursuing medical tourism. www.rscbayarea.com
The Reproductive Science Center of the Bay Area logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=17290