Now, for the first time, the doctors behind the controversial technique that combines DNA from three people thus, termed as "three-parent baby" was revealed. In-vitro fertilization (IVT) using mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) gave hope to families suffering from inheritable mitochondrial disorder to have healthy children in the future.
According to Science Daily, the technique was successful and resulted in the birth of a healthy baby boy to a carrier of Leigh Syndrome. In recent years, reproductive specialists have been able to outcast embryos that are genetically affected with mitochondrial disease using IVF techniques, as stated by Professor Bart Fauser.The boy is the world's first "three-parent baby".
In the current research, an egg with faulty mitochondria can be changed to contain almost normal mitochondria from a healthy egg donor. IVF using MRT has enabled the parents to have a healthy child prior to the death of their first and second baby due to Leigh Syndrome. As reported in Global News, Dr. John Zhang, the lead author of the paper stated that their successful discovery regarding the "three-parent baby" is exciting for mankind.
Zhang and his team were able to help the Jordanian parents to conceive a healthy baby boy last April through "three- parent baby" schemeThe mother is a carrier of the genetic disorder but she is asymptomatic; about one-fourth of her mitochondria can pass on the genes causing Leigh syndrome. In the next step, the egg was fertilized by the father's sperm cell and then transferred to the mother's womb. The baby was delivered at 37 weeks after an unexpected pregnancy.
Scientists believed "three- parent baby" IVF could help women who carry faulty DNA mutations to have babies in the near future. The third person's DNA prevents defects like blindness and epilepsy. The baby is made using the genes of the intended biological father and mother with the help of the healthy mitochondrial DNA from the donor embryo.
The United Kingdom became the first country who allowed the "three-parent baby" technique in the medical field in February 2015. This discovery truly gives a real hope to parents having the inheritable mitochondrial disorder to have offspring and cutting the faulty genes to the edge.
