Movies

The Real Story of Jean Purdy, Whose Work Developing IVF Is Portrayed in Netflix’s Joy

BBG News

As a woman who has navigated the complex world of infertility myself, I found the Netflix film “Joy” to be a powerful and poignant portrayal of Jean Purdy‘s life and her relentless pursuit of helping women become mothers. The film does an exceptional job in capturing the warmth and kindness that Jean showed towards her patients, which is something I deeply resonate with as a woman who has gone through multiple rounds of IVF.

The movie “Joy,” available on Netflix starting November 22, tells the story behind the groundbreaking invention of in-vitro fertilization, centering around one woman who played a significant role in its creation.

Joy delves into the realm of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) just as much as it explores the character of Jean Purdy, portrayed by Thomasin McKenzie, who was an integral member of the team responsible for the birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first “test tube” baby. This team also included physiologist Robert Edwards (James Norton) and pioneer in laparoscopy for gynecology in the UK, Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy).

In the movie, Purdy’s character experiences infertility due to endometriosis, which drives her to dedicate her life to assisting other women in achieving pregnancy.

There’s some uncertainty about what led the genuine Purdy to delve into IVF research due to personal health reasons. However, there’s no denying that she played a crucial role in making IVF a reality. Moreover, she was renowned for her devotion towards her patients, as portrayed in Joy.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d like to share insights from screenwriters and close acquaintances of Purdy, who spoke to TIME, shedding light on the remarkable woman whose life served as the inspiration for the film “Joy“.

Jean Purdy’s role in IVF

Just as Edwards and Steptoe are often referred to as the pioneers of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and Purdy is hailed as its matriarch, according to Barry Bavister, a scientist who was acquainted with her. (Bavister’s work on IVF with hamsters is noted in the film.)

In reality and on screen, Purdy meticulously arranged lab equipment, incorporating sterile methods and precautions against contamination. Her duties included preparing the culture medium – a solution that preserves sperm and eggs, ensuring their survival.

Additionally, Purdy diligently documented every case’s specifics, allowing her fellow male colleagues to perform their tasks effectively. It was Steptoe and Edwards who focused on the scientific aspects and the overall vision, yet it was Purdy who possessed the unwavering practical knowledge essential for executing the lab work, as described by Kay Elder, a research scientist at the Bourn Hall fertility clinic, during their analysis of Purdy’s laboratory notebooks alongside reproductive science professor Martin H. Johnson in 2015.

In his account, Bavister portrays Purdy as a fellow collaborator of equal stature with Steptoe and Edwards. He recounts how Purdy’s unwavering determination inspired them to persevere through numerous obstacles in their research. Curious about her dedication, he once inquired why she was devoting her life to the development of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) during challenging times. To this, Purdy simply replied, “I just want to care for the babies.

Bavister remarks: “At a certain point, Edwards felt defeated. He had the ability to perform IVF and create embryos, but none of them implanted until 1978…It was Jean who insisted, ‘We won’t give up. This will succeed.’ It may have been her unwavering determination that led to Louise Brown’s birth.

Joy, as depicted in the movie, is shown working closely with patients, providing them with compassionate care. Although Joy did not administer hormone injections as portrayed in the film, she was responsible for collecting urine samples from patients and was highly regarded for her exceptional bedside manner. In one of his writings, Edwards praised Purdy as being exceptionally skilled with patients. Analyzing her lab notebooks, Elder and Johnson discovered that one patient, Grace MacDonald, described Purdy as “incredible” at making all the patients feel “relaxed.” The movie shows that Joy is able to establish a strong rapport with her patients, who confide in her about their personal lives. A scene in the film highlights Joy’s empathy when she arranges a beach outing for the IVF patients, allowing them to connect with each other.

Despite preferring a less prominent role, Edwards and Steptoe consistently listed Purdy as the main author on numerous publications. With co-authorship credits on 26 academic papers, including prestigious journals like Nature and Lancet, as mentioned in a 2017 biography of Purdy penned by scientist Roger Gosden for Human Fertility.

In the movie, Jean Purdy is so career-driven in the lab that she barely has room for anything beyond a casual romantic arrangement. In reality, her past coworkers recall her as someone completely engrossed in her work and not one to discuss her personal relationships at the office. Research by Elder and Johnson reveals that Jean was deeply religious and enjoyed listening to classical music records and playing the violin as hobbies.

In summary, Elder, a coworker from Bourn Hall Clinic during the early 1980s when Purdy held the position of technical director, noted that she was a very secretive individual. Despite battling malignant melanoma for 18 months, Purdy chose not to share her health condition with her fellow team members. Edwards, moved by her determination, arranged a sleeping space in the clinic’s attic so that Purdy could continue working until her final days. She passed away in 1985 at the age of 39. Throughout her professional journey, approximately 370 children were conceived through IVF under her care, and today, more than 12 million babies have been brought into existence via this assisted reproductive technique.

The complicated question of Purdy’s endometriosis in Joy

In Joy, Purdy tells Steptoe that she has a severe case of endometriosis. Steptoe offers to examine her, and though Purdy at first declines, insisting that she’s fine, she later accepts the offer. After giving her what looks like a pelvic exam, Steptoe confirms that her case of endometriosis is severe—so severe that she will never be able to have children. When he suggests a remedy to help the pain, she denies that she’s in any pain at all.

The movie depicts endometriosis as a central driving force behind Purdy’s life purpose, her unwavering commitment to assisting women suffering from this condition in becoming mothers. However, it is uncertain whether Purdy truly had endometriosis. According to Fiona Kisby Littleton, an editor of “Presenting the First Test-Tube Baby” and a senior honorary research associate at UCL Institute of Education London, the pelvic exam Steptoe conducts on Purdy in the movie to assess her endometriosis would likely not have occurred during that time period in the 1970s. Littleton explains that at that point in time, endometriosis was very difficult to diagnose due to the lack of routine use of ultrasound and laparoscopy devices.

But it’s not out of the question that Purdy had the condition. 

Joy’s screenwriters, Jack Thorne and Rachel Mason, assert that they think Purdy suffered from endometriosis, as suggested by their discussion with physiologist Roger Gosden, who was associated with Edwards in his work.

When asked if Purdy had endometriosis, Mason confirms to TIME by saying, “Yes,” and goes on to emphasize, “Discussing topics like endometriosis and women’s health is crucial. I believe Purdy would have wanted the same.” For Thorne and Mason, as a couple, the story of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) holds personal significance. They underwent seven rounds of IVF before welcoming their son into the world. Thorne expresses his hope that the film will serve as a catalyst for conversations about family experiences with fertility and any related health issues.

Thorne mentions that they felt compelled to share Purdy’s story truthfully, focusing on her battles with infertility and the path her experiences led her down in her work. Unfortunately, as Thorne points out, we can no longer ask if Purdy suffered from endometriosis.

Gosden, who hadn’t watched “Joy” until its U.S. release on Netflix, shares that a good friend of Purdy’s (now passed away) once informed him about Jean’s frequent bouts of severe pain, some of which necessitated hospitalization – a characteristic symptom of endometriosis. He suggests that endometriosis might have been the root cause of her long-standing health issue.

However, there’s doubt about whether Purdy, known for her privacy, would approve of being associated with a private gynecological issue or any personal health matter in the film. According to Gosden, “I don’t believe she would have wanted to be portrayed as a sufferer of a disease.

Littleton suggests that Purdy might soon be linked to endometriosis, regardless of her personal experience with it. However, he stresses that the main point viewers should grasp from Joy is how accurately it portrays “Jean’s compassion and kindness towards patients.

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2024-11-23 02:06

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