Fertilization with genetic material of three parents

British government to agree to fertilization for children with two biological mothers and a father

06/29/2013

The British government is to agree to a method of artificial insemination, in which the genetic material of two mothers and a father is used. Britain's most important health consultant expressly supports the new technology to give women with genetic defects the opportunity to give birth to healthy children. The key lies in the DNA of the so-called mitochondria, which make up only a small part of the genes, but can pass on genetic defects.

Artificial insemination with genetic material of three parents
Three biological parents for a child? The British government should discuss this question. It's about a bill that would allow artificial insemination involving two mothers and one father. This method is intended to help women with genetic defects in the genome of the mitochondria to still have healthy children. Sally Davies, the UK's main health adviser, is in favor of the method.

The British Human Fertilization and Embryo Authority (HFEA) had previously stated that there was a public health problem „wide support“ for the new method.

„Scientists have developed a groundbreaking new procedure that will stop this disease from becoming hereditary and give many families the hope that they will not bequeath it to their future children“ Davies told „BBC“. „It is only right that we introduce this life-saving procedure as soon as possible.“ Although it is a sensitive matter, for her personally the change in mitochondria is fine.

In a new artificial insemination procedure, the genotype of the donor only makes up five per thousand
Usually at fertilization the genotype of the husband gets into a woman's egg, which not only DNA in the nucleus but also in mitochondria, power plants in plasma of cells. Some women have a genetic defect that affects this mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). If this is the case, the child may develop serious malformations of the organs such as degeneration of the brain, heart failure and blindness. The victims usually have only a short life expectancy. However, the mtDNA is not responsible for the similarity between relatives.

The new method allows the nucleus of an egg to be exchanged, so that one child receives the DNA of the later mother, but the rest of the egg with the mtDNA comes from a healthy donor. The child would then carry the genetic material of three people in itself, the genetic material of the donor makes up only about five per thousand.

If the UK Government agrees to the new artificial insemination procedure, it will be the first country to use this method. Information of the „BBC“ according to which the procedure would only be suitable for about ten couples per year.

Critics refuse artificial insemination with three parents
Critics see especially for the children a high mental stress, if they had a kind of two mothers. There are also other ethical and moral reasons. „These techniques are unnecessary and insecure and were in fact rejected by the majority“, explained Dr. David King from „Human Genetics Alert“ across from „BBC“. „It is a disaster that the decision to go beyond the line that could ultimately lead to a eugenic designer baby market should be made on the basis of totally biased and inadequate advice. "

Currently, the new procedure is being tested in the laboratory, with the resulting embryos not being allowed to be implanted in a uterus. (Ag)

Image: Thommy Weiss