In the UK, a baby has been born using DNA from three individuals to prevent mitochondrial diseases. The baby's DNA is mostly from their biological parents, with 0.1% coming from a healthy donor woman. Mitochondrial diseases are fatal and passed down only by the mother's mitochondria, which fail to produce energy, leading to various health issues. Mitochondrial donation treatment is a modified form of IVF that uses healthy donor egg mitochondria, and the technique was introduced in the UK in 2015. Less than five babies have been born using this technique, and the families have not been identified. Mitochondrial donation is a cautious and slow process, and the success and long-term risks of the technique are yet to be determined. The risk of "reversion" is present, where some defective mitochondria could still lead to disease. The UK had previously estimated that up to 150 such babies could be born each year.
© Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved Powered by Vygr Media.
