# Three-person baby



## AmeliaH

I was reading news as I usually do. and then encountered this. three-parent babies! http://www.nature.com/news/three-parent-baby-claim-raises-hopes-and-ethical-concerns-1.20698

as if it's innovative technique to treat women with genetic diseases and it really works. for me, it's even hard to believe in it but it's true. gene engineering is pacing even ahead my imagination

and what do you think of it?

/links


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## BobbyPins

To be honest I think it's actually a bit worrying - the UK only really recently did legislation on it and decreed it 'safe' and it hasn't even been done here yet.
Obviously if it's verified and legitimate then this is brilliant news for those affected by mitochondrial conditions but I think that I would have preferred it to happen somewhere with concrete legislation.
Either way it's obvious that the technology is speeding away with us and governments and legislators probably need to catch up!


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## Denmommy

genetics is quick to develop. I've never ever thought that smth like this can really happen. 
I think time will show. They need to monitor those babies health and only then they will be able to make conclusions as to how safe it is. 
I know that simple egg donation works in such case when they take healthy egg from a healthy woman and then put it to mom's womb. This is a 2-parent baby anyways. I've never been to such place hopefully. it seems that its a tough decision


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## JParker

i've no idea of how they do it but sounds as a break through.  
however, using donor eggs obviously seemed quite strange and unknown just several years ago - now widely used and helps healthy new people see this world


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## Tincancat

I think it's great breakthrough.  Why shouldn't ladies have this opportunity as after all without this technology those same ladies are at risk of having babies with terrible genetic diseases much worse than they will ever be at risk from this technology.  Nature throws some terrible curved balls to some if we can over come it then great.  My boys are double donor to overcome my old eggs even so one is so small he's suspected of having a genetic problem......donor eggs alone don't overcome every potential problem.
TCCx


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## gwinethblack

Hm.. It does sound great for me and I personally see it as the next step to curing infertility. Science needs to move and it doesn’t really matter how we see it either it is a problem or a blessing, it will do its thing. And thus we should be very thankful for the fertility treatment itself and in the meantime we should be celebrating all of breakthroughs that we are lucky to witness. 
PS technically all of the kids conceived by ivf are three-parent babies, aren’t they? I am about to undergo egg donation ivf with donor’s sperm, so it is not something the majority of people would do..


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## auroraflowers

Hi! i think I have heard of it earlier... but it was an article about two women who have underwent such a treatment in a clinic, now they are on their 20 and 26 weeks.. I guess it is getting really popular..


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## BobbyPins

Gwinithblack - I think with this technique it would literally be 3 people's DNA involved in creating the baby, as something like 0.5% of the DNA comes from the donated empty egg (that had its nucleus removed).

I am really excited about anything that can help with infertility or reduce incidences of genetic disease, but I think this news is something worth being cautious about.

The technique is also not approved for infertility, only in cases of confirmed mitochondrial disease.


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## Blondie71

Late to the party but I think this is fantastic and may even lead the way for donor conception for the future with transferring your own genes into donor eggs if it's a possibility for this already 👍


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## Blondie71

Bobby pins I think they said only 5% of the dna comes from the donor so the rest is the couples


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## Lofty

gwinethblack - not sure why you think all ivf uses 3 adults? My ivf just involved me and my partner - just 2 adults.


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## LouGhevaert

Hi All

The HFEA approved the use of 3-Person IVF at UK fertility clinics on a case by case basis on 15 December 2016.

The HFEA'S decision to approve use of mitochondrial donation came after an independent scientific panel published its fourth set of findings on the technique's safety and efficacy. These findings recommended this new 3-Person IVF technique could be used cautiously in certain cases.

Mitochondrial disease affects 1 in 5,000 -10,000 people. This new 3-Person IVF technique is believed to be able to help about 15% of people affected by mitochondrial disease.

I've put together some Q&A's here - http://www.michelmores.com/what-we-do/services/fertility-law/media/3-person-ivf-approved-human-fertilisation-and-embryology

All the best

Louisa


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## Denmommy

I've heard on the news that they managed to successfully apply this technique on an infertile couple from Ukraine having shifted nucleus of an embryo. This woman delivered a baby girl in January. They say she is absolutely healthy. However, they will monitor the girl through years to know if she develops properly


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## dochasach

Would people know how to apply to Nadiya clinic to have this treatment done for infertility?


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## Denmommy

Is it already a fully working technique? I thought it was just a sort of experiment


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## michellemichelle

Lofty said:


> gwinethblack - not sure why you think all ivf uses 3 adults? My ivf just involved me and my partner - just 2 adults.


maybe she meant egg donation? if so that makes a little sense.


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## minerva71

Oh, it's an unbelievable breakthrough!!! I was shocked when reading the article about the first baby born with the help of this method. I  still can't define what I think about this. There are as pros, as cons... the thing which makes me worry the most is that no one can predict this children's future. What if the 3d DNA is odd? IVF was also unknown before, but we have now evidence. however, we have nothing about 'three-parents-baby' method. 
To be honest I was interested in it so bad that I couldn't resist the temptation to write them. According to my expectations, this procedure is not for everyone.


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## Denmommy

minerva, really? you have contacted them? what was their reply? Do they really start to widely apply this new method? 
if yes, what are their requirements/restrictions for intended parents? 
i'm impatient to know


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## minerva71

hi, Denmommy! Nadiya's official website contains contact email, so I wrote about my problem and asked how to start this 3-parent-treatment. Well, I answered few questions of theirs and got a refusal. Their letter has it: "We refuse because you received the blastocyst. Indication for this method is embryo arrest (when embryos stopped their development at early stages on the day 1 -3)". I don't know if it's a common thing, but I haven't heard about women under 35 with no health issues and whose embies didn't survive...


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## Denmommy

oh, embryo arrest?   it must be not a very common thing, isn't it? I'm not a big expert in all those ivf things, though. Maybe this is due to some chromosomal issues? I mean embryos stop their development. In such case, age doesn't matter, it seems. 
That's a bit strange that in none of the reports on their successful 3-parent ivf, they mentioned the exact diagnosis of intended mother 
Or you have encountered such info on the web?


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## edcoyy

Thanks Louisa. It's a very informative reading. as any new technique in medicine, it sparks controversy. we all are afraid of the unknown no matter how attractive it might seem at first. I hope scientist from all over the world will work on further research on 3 parent ivf and more women will be able to have healthy pregnancies and children with its help

minerva71, sad to know they wrote a refusal letter to you. I hope you'll still find the way


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## Denmommy

IVF also seemed to be a suspicious thing back 30 years ago when it was used for the first time
Only time will show
Seems to be innovative. I hope they know what they are doing


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## dochasach

I just emailed them to ask how to apply. The procedure makes a lot of sense, I'm just surprised it hasn't been done a lot earlier. A concern would be that interfering with an embryo or transferring the nucleus could negatively impact on its development or the resulting child. If this technique can be proven to have no negative impact on the children born from it then I'd feel it's a far better solution than using complete donor eggs. At least the child would have a genetic link to both parents and it'd overcome all the possible negative impact that could come with a child having an unknown or removed genetic parent. It'd be more like organ donation and I'd imagine easier on all parties to accept and live with - donor, child, intended parents.
I'm only hoping it takes off elsewhere...given the lengths clinics go to for business it just might


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## Denmommy

dochasash, I just wonder what was there response? Do they really start to widely use this type of treatment?


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## michellemichelle

But how is this procedure controlled by the law?
I have read an article in which it was stated that Ukrainian law system has yet come to any conclusion regarding this subject
i just wonder how did they even do this. Nadiya, I mean. 

And can someone explain me why is there such a restriction on whom to take into the program?
I thought that it will be possible to undergo for every single woman who experiences some issues with getting pregnant whose AMH is still okay.
But I don’t know a lot about this so.. don’t throw stones haha


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## Denmommy

many questions arise. I still tend to think that it's more likely to be an experiment. The system of this method practical application is obviously very fragile, that's why they won't  approve new IMs. same with legislature. But this is just my suggestion. Time will show


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## michellemichelle

Denmommy said:


> many questions arise. I still tend to think that it's more likely to be an experiment. The system of this method practical application is obviously very fragile, that's why they won't approve new IMs. same with legislature. But this is just my suggestion. Time will show


I tend to believe that in a short period of time this procedure either becomes accessible to all or it will be left as an experiment. because I am pretty much sure that clinic has closed its doors not just for those who are not accessible for the procedure but also for those who are in need. because it is definitely not something they can perform every day in my opinion. 
and yes, it is always at issue in terms of legislation.


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## Lily0750

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21717035-ways-reproducing-without-sexual-intercourse-are-multiplying-history-suggests-they-should



> Growing sperm and eggs from body cells is surely the least problematic new technique soon to be on offer.


I wonder how soon? Probably not before I get into sixties.


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## michellemichelle

remember the days when ivf was considered controversial? haha
but surrogacy in my opinion is still struggling to get everyone's approval.. 
PS thanks for sharing the article


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## Denmommy

I don't think that surrogacy will ever get unanimous approval. never. there always will be surrogacy hostile people, those who say "womb for rent" or "you'd better go and adopt". With years, I learnt to be tolerant even to such views. This is mainly of the people who's got no idea of what really brings people to surrogacy. 
Love is on top of anything else. Just love. Love will overcome everything.


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## michellemichelle

Denmommy said:


> I don't think that surrogacy will ever get unanimous approval. never. there always will be surrogacy hostile people, those who say "womb for rent" or "you'd better go and adopt". With years, I learnt to be tolerant even to such views. This is mainly of the people who's got no idea of what really brings people to surrogacy.
> Love is on top of anything else. Just love. Love will overcome everything.


It always was "funny" to read comments coming from those who are perfectly fertile or do not even think about having kids yet. they obviously do not know anything but still, they think that they have the right to say their yes or no. 99 % of the women who use surrogacy are not the ones who initiate it themselves, I am sure everyone who had to use surrogate's services had been trying for the longest time to make it work out without the need to go for surrogacy. it is one of the last options...


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## Denmommy

we all have a right to have our own point of views, but likewise some tolerance is always welcomed. 
To sum this up, I just want to wish to those who want to have children - to become parents soon, and for those who get pregnant accidentally - to give birth and love their children. 
will there ever be a balance like this?


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