5-month-old Abrahim Hassan, the first baby to be born using a new technique, called “Three Parent Technique” that incorporates DNA from three people. Abrahim was born on April 6, to Ibtisam Shaban and Mahmoud Hassan., in Mexico as it is legally approved only in the UK- this technique allows parents with rare genetic mutations to have healthy babies.
The baby’s mother Shaban carries genes for Leigh syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes the central nervous system to fail. Unfortunately, the couple previously lost two kids owing to this disorder, so they then turned for help from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York.
The doctors then devised an approach in which the affected gene is removed and then replaced with a ‘clean’ DNA from a third donor. The team led by Dr John Zhang conducted the procedure in Mexico, as the US is yet to legalize the controversial technique.
The couple, approved the “three parent” technique, called Spindle Nuclear Transfer, in which the nucleus from the mother’s unfertilized egg is removed and inserted into the donor’s egg. This egg is then fertilized with the father’s sperm.
Doctor Zhang used five embryos in the process one of those gave birth to AbrahimHassan. Zhang told New Scientist that he considers the procedure justified. “To save lives is the ethical thing to do,” he said. When the doctors tested the Abrahim’s mitochondria, they found that less than 1 % of it carrying the mutation.
Now, isn’t this what science supposed to do? Saving lives!
By: Archa Dave
