News MPs say yes to three-person babies

[Blobbenstein]

MPs have voted in favour of the creation of babies with DNA from two women and one man, in an historic move.

The UK is now set to become the first country to introduce laws to allow the creation of babies from three people.

In a free vote in the Commons, 382 MPs were in favour and 128 against the technique that stops genetic diseases being passed from mother to child.

During the debate, ministers said the technique was "light at the end of a dark tunnel" for families.

A further vote is required in the House of Lords. It everything goes ahead then the first such baby could be born next year.

BBC News - MPs say yes to three-person babies

 

[Scorpius]

Cool! I hope it passes in the House of Lords.

 

[ledboots]

I had a patient recently who was herself the product of in vitro fertilization, and she is now pregnant--with an in vitro pregnancy! The fertility doc was all excited.

 

[kibbleforlola]

I had a patient recently who was herself the product of in vitro fertilization, and she is now pregnant--with an in vitro pregnancy! The fertility doc was all excited.

That's so cool!

 

[Andy_T]

Interesting and good.

While I am all in favour of using medical technology to prevent suffering and illness, I still think there is one thing they did not get correct:

For the families affected by mitochondrial disease, this is the only option for a healthy child.

There still is the option of adoption, with literally millions of unwanted children out there.

Hearing about a woman who has lost 7 children to that disease makes me really question her judgement.

Best regards,
Andy

 

[Blobbenstein]

I think there is probably a spiritual, supernatural component to eggs and sperm, so I'm not sure how that will play out with a person being the product of three people.....maybe it won't matter, or if it matters, maybe we'll never know the connection.

 

[Calliegirl]

I see this leading to less adoptions.
I understand it's a natural, although primitive urge, to want to pass along your genes, but that made more sense in the past where the genes of the healthiest were needed to continue survival of the species. Nowadays, it's more about vanity and wanting to see a mini me running around.

I would love to see the day when doctors promote adoption over reproduction.

 

[ledboots]

I see this leading to less adoptions.
I understand it's a natural, although primitive urge, to want to pass along your genes, but that made more sense in the past where the genes of the healthiest were needed to continue survival of the species. Nowadays, it's more about vanity and wanting to see a mini me running around.

I would love to see the day when doctors promote adoption over reproduction.

Doctors don't have to promote reproduction at all. People are beating down the doors with fistsful of dollars for assistance with fertility. [emoji4]

 

[Calliegirl]

Doctors don't have to promote reproduction at all. People are beating down the doors with fistsful of dollars for assistance with fertility. [emoji4]

I know.
I meant it would be nice if the doctors pushed for them to adopt instead, but as in everything else, greed comes first. That's how we ended up with octomom.

 

[Moll Flanders]

Hearing about a woman who has lost 7 children to that disease makes me really question her judgement.

Best regards,
Andy

There is a very heated discussion about that on a British forum I'm on.

 

[Clueless Git]

Doctors don't have to promote reproduction at all. People are beating down the doors with fistsful of dollars for assistance with fertility. [emoji4]

Aye,

Fertility treatment is one of those "if we build it, they will come" kinda things, I reckon.

 

[FortyTwo]

I think there is probably a spiritual, supernatural component to eggs and sperm, so I'm not sure how that will play out with a person being the product of three people.....maybe it won't matter, or if it matters, maybe we'll never know the connection.

I'm certainly no expert on spiritual ideologies, but wouldn't that just mean it'd have a different energy? Not necessarily bad, just new.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I'm certainly no expert on spiritual ideologies, but wouldn't that just mean it'd have a different energy? Not necessarily bad, just new.

it's sort of experimenting with kids' lives........there's no going back for the child involved.....still everyone can sit back and marvel at what we can do with technology.

 

[Blobbenstein]

Hearing about a woman who has lost 7 children to that disease makes me really question her judgement.

I think she's an idiot.

 

[Blobbenstein]

 

[Mischief]

I think she's an idiot.

I agree. BBC News - The woman who lost all seven children

Why the hell would you repeatedly put children through this?!

 

[KLS52]

It was freaking me out until I read the article just now. I was picturing a baby being born with all kinds of extra stuff because of a third person being introduced into the mix. I feel a little better about it now. It's definitely fascinating.

I can't say I'm totally won over to the idea, though. I tend to play it safe...shocker.

I can't judge the woman with the 7 babies but I don't think I could have done that.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I can't judge the woman with the 7 babies

what do you think of her?

Surely it is a little selfish to bring children into the world knowing that they have a high chance of being ill and dying. Seven...

 

[Blobbenstein]

Sharon and Neil kept on trying for a healthy baby but without luck. Although three more children were born, none lived beyond the age of two. Each time one of their children died, they told themselves that "the death was a one-off". After their last child had a heart attack and died in 2000 they stopped trying.

this was after one of her kids was diagnosed with Leigh's disease.

 

[KLS52]

what do you think of her?

Surely it is a little selfish to bring children into the world knowing that they have a high chance of being ill and dying. Seven...

I hear you, I just can't say, not being in her shoes. There's a part of me that thinks she's crazy. And there's a part of me that totally understands the need to have a child. I've seen enough discussions on message boards to know that, the fact that I have three children, makes me frowned upon...overpopulation, needing little mini me's running around (that one made me laugh) blah blah blah. I don't know this woman or how she can even bear the pain of losing seven children. I'm pretty sure I would have quit way before seven. Maybe it is selfish. I would need to know a lot more. How old were the babies when they died? What was their quality of life? Did they suffer?

So, I'm not discounting what you are saying, just that I prefer not to have to decide one way or another.