Are scientists creating a moral nightmare? The UK’s first baby with genes from three people has been born in a bid to fight diseases passed down by parents.
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Britain's first three-parent baby is born
Are scientists creating a moral nightmare? The UK's first baby with genes from three people has been born in a bid to fight diseases passed down by parents.
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What's happening?
Every day, hundreds of babies are born in the UK. But one baby, born in Britain in recent weeks, is being talked about by scientists all around the world.
The first baby in the UK to have three parents has been born.
The baby was born using a new method made to stop children being born with serious diseases passed down by their mothers.
Scientists take mitochondriaSmall organs within nearly all types of human cell that generate much of the cell's energy. Often called the 'powerhouse of the cell'., a tiny but important part of the cell, from the egg of a healthy third person, and add it to the sperm and egg of the main two biological parents.
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Some worry that in the future, this method will be used by parents to make an "ideal" baby. But others say it would be wrong to ban this method, when it could help parents have healthy children free of deadly diseases.
Yes! In the future, this might be used by parents and scientists to create their idea of the "perfect" baby. This would be a nightmare future.
No! This method could help parents to have healthy children. It could stop many people from dying of diseases. We must let people use it.
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Are scientists creating a moral nightmare?
Keywords
Mitochondria - Small organs within nearly all types of human cell that generate much of the cell's energy. Often called the 'powerhouse of the cell'.
Britain’s first three-parent baby is born
Nuclear family? Over 99.8% of the baby's DNA will be from its mother and father. Glossary
Mitochondria - Small organs within nearly all types of human cell that generate much of the cell's energy. Often called the 'powerhouse of the cell'.