A three-parent baby is a human offspring produced through assisted reproductive technologies involving genetic material from three individuals: one man and two women. This technique, known as mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), is designed to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial diseases, which are severe genetic disorders caused by faulty mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) passed from mother to child. Mitochondria, the cell’s energy producers, have their own DNA, and mutations can lead to conditions like organ failure or neurological disorders.
The process involves transferring the nuclear DNA (containing most genetic traits) from the mother’s egg, which has faulty mitochondria, into a donor egg with healthy mitochondria that has had its nuclear DNA removed. The resulting egg, containing the mother’s nuclear DNA and the donor’s healthy mtDNA, is fertilized with the father’s sperm. The baby inherits over 99.8% of its DNA from the mother and father, with a small fraction (mtDNA) from the donor, hence the term “three-parent baby.”
First successfully used in 2016, this technique is controversial due to ethical concerns, including the destruction of embryos and potential long-term health risks, such as rare genetic mismatches. It’s legally approved in the UK, Australia, and Ukraine but banned in the US and Spain. While MRT offers hope for preventing mitochondrial diseases, critics argue it raises moral and safety issues, fueling ongoing debates.
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