Three-Parent Baby: A Controversial Advance

Three Parent Baby

Intro 1: 

A "three-parent baby" refers to a child conceived through a specialized form of assisted reproductive technology designed to prevent certain genetic diseases. This technique, known as mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) or mitochondrial donation, involves combining the genetic material from three individuals

Intro 2: 

A three-parent baby is a human offspring conceived using genetic material from three people. This is achieved through a specific assisted reproductive technology (ART) called Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy (MRT) or three-person in vitro fertilization (IVF)

Mitochondrial Diseases

• • Mitochondria are basically the powerhouses of the cells. They generate the energy, and thus are also responsible for cell function in the human body.
• • Certain defects might occur impacting on the way the mitochondria produce energy for the cells and thereby impacting cell function.
• • The diseases that arise out of such mitochondrial mutations are called mitochondrial diseases.
• • When the mitochondria are impaired and do not produce sufficient energy, that affects how the organs function, leading to a broad assortment of symptoms across the body, including brain damage, organ failure and muscle wastage.
• • Unlike nuclear DNA, which comes from both parents, mitochondrial DNA comes only from the mother.

Mitochondrial Donation Treatment (MDT)

1. 1. Child is conceived from IVF (in vitro fertilization) using the genetic material of the parents and the mitochondrial material of a donor.
2. 2. Diseased Mitochondria are replaced by healthy Mitochondria in order to avoid transfer of mitochondrial diseases from the mother to the offspring
3. 3. Can be prevented by MDT either before or after IVF of the egg
4. 4. Also known as Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy (MRT) and 3 Parent Babies Process

Mechanism:

1. 1. Embryos combine sperm and egg from biological parents with tiny structures called Mitochondria from donor’s egg
2. 2. Resulting baby has DNA from Mother and Father as usual with a small amount of Genetic Material (about 37 genes) from the Donor

Most Common Techniques in Mitochondrial Donation

• • 2 Common Types:

• o MST (Maternal Spindle Transfer)

•  Nuclear genetic material is removed from eggs and transferred into donated eggs which have had their nuclear genetic material removed. 
•  The eggs are then fertilised with sperm to create embryos.

• o PNT (Pronuclear Transfer Technique)

•  Eggs are fertilised with sperm in a lab to create embryos. 
•  The nuclear genetic material within each embryo is then transferred into embryos created using donated eggs and sperm from the sperm provider. 
•  Again, the nuclear genetic material will have been removed from the donated eggs.

Benefits of MDT:

• • Disease Prevention: Prevent Mitochondrial Inherited Diseases
• • Genetic Connection: Enable Older Women with Poor Egg Quality to conceive Biologically Related Child by retaining Woman’s DNA while sourcing Mitochondria from Younger Donor
• • Reproductive Freedom: Same Sex Female Couples – One provide DNA, other Provide Mitochondria

Issues with MDT:

• • Effectiveness Concerns: Dynamic Nature of Mitochondria and Potential Residual Damaged
• • Incompatibility Risk: Between Donor’s Mitochondria and Receiver’s Nuclear Genome
• • Lack of Data: MRT is in experimental stage with Inadequate Data on Potential Adverse Effects
• • Impact on Child: MRT could Influence Child’s Personality including potential Neurological Changes and Developmental Disability and Increase Cancer Risk
• • Cost Barriers: Costly Procedure and therefore, inaccessible to many sections

Ethical Concerns:

• • Potential for Designer Babies and Misuse (Super Soldiers)
• o Eugenics: Selection of Desired Heritable Characteristics

Conclusion

Conclusion 1: 

Therefore, to ensure the ethical implementation of the MDT technique in the country, a dedicated regulatory body should oversee its usage. Additionally, it is imperative to conduct thorough clinical trials to gather comprehensive data on the technique's safety and efficacy.

Conclusion 2: 

Alas, If MDT technique is to be implemented in the country, there should be a regulatory body that governs its usage to avoid any unethical practises. Proper clinical trials are the need of the hour for data to be collected on the safety and efficacy of the technique being used.

Author: Arjun Kr. Paul, ACS Faculty