The concept of two DNA contributors in childbirth was expanded in England. On Tuesday, lawmakers in the United Kingdom voted to allow in vitro fertilisation, or "three-parent" IVF. This process includes the DNA of three individuals: a mother, a father, and a female donor. After a 90-minute debate, the House of Commons voted 382-128 in favor of allowing IVF.
Scientists aim to eliminate incurable birth defects through in vitro fertilisation. The particular birth defect that scientists are concerned with, relates to the mitochondria. Mitochondrial Disease is incurable and can result in heart, liver, and kidney failure as well as extreme muscle weakness. IVF hopes to avoid mitochondrial failure in births by using a donor's healthy egg in fertilization.
IVF requires that the parents' DNA be placed inside a donor's egg that will contribute the mitochondrial DNA. Scientists state that less than one percent of the embryo's DNA will be from the donor.
Opponents of IVF in England state that there is a danger of creating designer babies. The process is deemed by some as dangerously pushing the limits of science. Critics argued that the potential danger of using such techniques to create designer babies is too large to consider.
"Where will it lead? The answer has to be that we stop here. The answer has to be that we say this is a red line in our country, as in every other country in the world, that we will not cross," said lawmaker Fiona Bruce in the debate on Tuesday.
Proponents of IVF state that only the mitochondrial DNA outside of the nucleus will be used from the donor, and that the DNA in the nucleus will be completely from the two parents. The proponents claim the IVF process will not influence features such as eye color, hair, and personalities, which are found in the DNA within the nucleus.
