CNA Newsroom, May 10, 2023 / 10:05 am
The first baby born in the United Kingdom with DNA from three parents was born after doctors performed a revolutionary IVF procedure designed to prevent rare but dangerous mitochondrial diseases.
The news that “less than five” children have been born in the U.K. through this process as of late April was first reported by The Guardian. This is the first time the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has confirmed any children in the country being born through this process. The HFEA avoided disclosing the exact number of babies to protect privacy.
The Parliament of the United Kingdom has approved two methods for altering the DNA of an embryo by including genetic material from a third person. The procedure is only permitted for couples who have a strong likelihood of passing down a dangerous mitochondrial disorder. The two techniques are maternal spindle transfer (MST) and pronuclear transfer (PNT).
The first birth of a baby with DNA from three parents took place in Mexico in 2016 after doctors performed the procedure using the sperm and egg of a Jordanian couple.