Babies With 3 Parents?

On February 3, 2015, British lawmakers voted to put forth a law that allowed in vitro fertilization (a complex series of procedures used to treat fertility or genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child) using the DNA of three people. The vote was 382 to 128, which still requires the final move from the House of the Lords. However, the lack of objection from the House of the Lords on the House of Commons means that this move could become a law quickly. This move has made Britain the first country in the world to allow the alteration of a human egg or embryo before placing it in the uterus. In the embryo, the DNA would come from the parents and the mitochondrial DNA would come from the donor. Of course, the alterations caused some social debates on the ethics of creating a "designer baby". One fear of the concept of "designer babies" is that it will become a market for children with certain features. 

The bold move could potentially pave the way for genetically engineering children after conception, allowing geneticists to possibly cure other diseases that are inherited. The move could not only affect children before conception, but could also affect people with mitochondrial diseases. Having the ability to genetically modify structures that may be lacking in producing energy outside the mitochondria could result in cures to diseases such as muscular dystrophy.

I think that this is a great advancement for the health care field. Couple's who had a very high chance of conceiving a child with a mitochondrial deficiency now have the ability to control whether or not the child will inherit the disease. Many people will look down on this new law assume that it is for polygamists without realizing the benefits that it could give to many children. 

The original article can be found here. 

More information on IVF can be found here.