Doctors to Create Three-Parent Babies

With the aim of preventing incurable genetic dieases, the Britain's Human Fertilisation and Embroyology Authority (HEFA) has authorized doctors to create the first "three-parent" babies through mitochondrial donation therapy (MRT).

The advantages of the model are prevention of transmission of mitochondrial (genetic) disease from one generation to the other; benefit of having 99% genetically matched children free of the mitochondrial disease and irrespective of a third parent being involved, there would be no change in the personality or looks of offsprings.  

Through MRT, the defective mitochondria will be replaced with the healthy mitochondria of a donor. Through invitro fertilization technique, the egg will then be fertilised with the partner’s sperm, which will make the embryo free from any such defects. The world's first three-parent baby has already taken birth in Mexico in September 2016.

By: Srishti Sharma

Content: https://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/uk-doctors-create-three-parent-babies-mitochondrial-donation-02201852281.html