Conception

Historical Notes

Fancyful medieval drawing of a fetus inside the uterus.

Human reproduction could not be fully understood before the discovery of human egg and sperm cells. Thus, until well into the 19th century, medical authorities entertained various fanciful theories about conception and pregnancy that had little to do with the truth as it finally emerged. It was only the invention and subsequent continued improvement of the microscope that enabled scientists to ascertain the facts, a process that took nearly 150 years.