Dr Stephan Gordts graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL), where he trained in OBGYN from 1973-1977. He then spent two years doing research work at KUL and trained in microsurgery. Since 1978, his main clinical interest and his entire career has been devoted to reproductive medicine. He is an expert in microsurgery and operative laparoscopies. In 1982, he completed a postgraduate degree in ART at Monash University, Melbourne. As the doctor responsible for the IVF programme, he was closely involved in the birth of the first IVF baby in Belgium in June 1983. In 1984, he founded ‘Leuven Institute for Fertility & Embryology (LIFE) ’where he is still chief and scientific director.

From 1992 -1995, he was associate professor at the Department of Gynaecology at UCL (Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels), where he was director of the IVF unit.

He has always been interested in minimally invasive techniques and consequently introduced the new technique of transvaginal laparoscopy and the concept of the one-stop fertility clinic in 1998. He has authored more than 100 publications in peer-reviewed international journals and book chapters.