Ideally, a child is made up of genetic material (DNA) from both a father and mother only.
However scientists have found a way to incorporate a third DNA to prevent genetic diseases which can be very fatal.
The United Kingdom’s fertility regulator confirmed the births of the UK’s first babies created using this experimental technique Aljazeera reports.
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The focus of the methods applied was to help prevent women with faulty mitochondria – the energy source in a cell – from passing defects on to their babies.
The combination of DNA from three people can prevent the baby from having diseases like epilepsy, heart problems and intellectual disabilities.
The United Kingdom in 2015 became the world’s first country to adopt legislation specifically regulating the experiment.
How is it done?
Only families that have no other available options for avoiding passing on genetic disease to their children were enlisted.
Genetic material from the egg or embryo of a woman with faulty mitochondria is taken and then transferred into a donor egg or embryo that still has healthy mitochondria but had the rest of its key DNA removed.
“Mitochondrial donation treatment offers families with severe inherited mitochondrial illness the possibility of a healthy child,” the UK fertility regulator said.
This artificial reproduction technique has been criticized by some who are of the opinion that there are other ways to avoid passing diseases from parents to children.
Others are worried that tweaking the genetic code this way could be a slippery slope that eventually leads to ‘designer babies’ for parents.
Warning that the focus will expand from not only wanting to avoid inherited diseases but to have taller, stronger, smarter or children with particular aesthetic traits.
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Nollywood actress, Iniedo welcomes a daughter through surrogacy.
Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with Stella Dimoko Korkus, the veteran actress revealed that she welcomed a baby girl recently through surrogacy.
“Yes | do have a daughter and | had her through surrogacy. The Eggs are mine and so genetically she’s my blood.”
She explained that she opted for a donor father for her peace of mind and that of her baby.
