Couples who have had issues conceiving a child have relied on Invitro fertilization Technology (IVF). The technology works by getting eggs from the female and fertilizing them with sperm. The fertilized eggs (embryo) are then implanted in the mother's womb to carry to full term (Ricochet Science, 2014). A new form of IVF has been developed to minimize the risk of genetic anomalies. The new technology involves a donor, mother, and a father. A donor donates an egg which will be fertilized by a maternal nucleus and paternal sperm. This new procedure has however not been approved by the FDA for clinical procedure.
Majority of the DNA is from the mother and father, whereas a minimal amount is obtained from the donor. Some mutations are housed in the mitochondria, thirty-seven in total. The mitochondria are responsible for generating energy cells. During the development of a baby, specific organs require a lot of energy, such as the muscles and brains (Hesman,2016). Any defects in the genes can lead to muscle disorders and other abnormalities. Therefore, the thirty-seven cells are obtained from the donor. The result is a baby born with a blend of three different DNAs. This IVF method can also be referred to as mitochondrial replacement therapy.
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Numerous scientific questions have been raised with regards to this new technology. One of the issues of concern was informed consent. For any person to undergo any medical experiment they need to give consent. Another issue that arose was the long-term effects on the health of the child. Dr. John Zhang, a reproductive endocrinologist, was the first to help in the development of a blended baby successfully. His work was not short of criticism with questions being raised about the circumstances surrounding the procedure (Neimaek,2017). Dr. Zhang carried out the procedure in Mexico since it is not legal to do it in America. This raised questions as well. Not all participants in the medical field were against Dr. Zhang's ground-breaking experiment, and they supported it terming it as a landmark study (Reardon,2017). Dr. Zhang has said he will keep testing the technique and that the critics will not deter him. Another major concern was the emergence of designer babies. Despite it, all this is significant discovery that will assist many families, however, extensive research on the technology needs to be undertaken.
References
Hesman, T. (2016, October 18). Three parent -Babies Explained. Retrieved from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/three-parent-babies-explained
Neimark, J. (2017, April 8). A Baby With 3 Genetic Parents Seema Healthy, But Questions Remain. Retrieved from, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/04/08/523020895/a-baby-with-3-genetic-parents-seems-healthy-but-questions-remain
Reradon, S. (2017, April 3). Genetic details of controversial ‘three-parent baby’ revealed. Retrieved from, https://www.nature.com/news/genetic-details-of-controversial-three-parent-baby-revealed-1.21761
Ricochet Science: Three Parents-One Baby, (2014) Retrieved on 5th December 2018. http://ricochetscience.com/three-parents-one-baby/
