First baby with DNA from three people was born after new IVF procedure
The first child conceived from three parents using the new IVF method was born in Great Britain. The procedure was developed to prevent the inheritance of incurable diseases due to mitochondrial mutations.The essence of the method consists in mitochondrial donation of healthy women by transferring cellular material to expectant mothers whose mitochondria are subject to mutations genetically transmitted to their children.
The procedure involves fertilizing the eggs of a mother and a female donor. The nuclear genetic material of the donor egg is then replaced with that of the expectant mother. The resulting egg has a full set of chromosomes from both parents, but carries healthy mitochondria from the donor, and then it is implanted into the uterus.
The conceived baby has the mother's and father's DNA, as well as a small amount of donor material (about 37 genes). Accordingly, 99.8% of the baby's DNA still belongs to the biological parents.
Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy (MRT) was first studied by physicians at the Newcastle Infertility Center.
Natural conception for carriers of such mutations often leads to an unpredictable outcome. Some babies are born healthy, inheriting only a portion of the abnormal mitochondria. Others may inherit many more defects and develop severe, progressive, and often fatal diseases in the future. Approximately one in 6,000 children inherits mitochondrial abnormalities that lead to future brain, heart, muscle, and liver abnormalities.
A new IVF method has been legislated in the United Kingdom. The decision is made on a case-by-case basis. By now 30 similar IVF procedures have been approved by the UK Fertility and Human Embryology Authority.
The resulting clinical experience with MHT is encouraging, but the number of reported cases is currently too small to draw any definitive conclusions about the safety or effectiveness of the method.
Source: First UK baby with DNA from three people born after new IVF procedure | Science | The Guardian