UK Sees First Babies Born with DNA from Three People
Eight babies have been born in the UK using genetic material from three people, to prevent devastating and often fatal diseases, doctors say.
The method, developed by British scientists, combines the egg and sperm of the mother and father with a second egg from a female donor, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
The technique has been legal in the UK for a decade, but now there is the first evidence that it is leading to the birth of children free from incurable mitochondrial diseases.
These diseases are usually passed from mother to child, depriving the body of energy.
This can cause severe disabilities and some babies die within days of birth. Couples know they are at risk if previous children, family members or the mother herself have been affected by these diseases.
Children born through the three-person technique inherit most of their DNA, that is, the entire genetic blueprint, from their parents, but also receive a small amount, about 0.1 percent, from the second wife. This is a difference that is passed down from generation to generation.
None of the families who have gone through this process are speaking publicly to preserve privacy, but have given anonymous statements through the Newcastle Fertility Centre, where the procedures were carried out.
