Brain surgery before birth fixes abnormal artery in 34-week-old fetus
New ScientistJUL 2023
Since this technique allows a mother to prevent passing on defective genes in the mitochondria to her child, the breakthrough is good news for families who have lost multiple children to inherited mitochondrial diseases. While it needs to be monitored closely and carefully, the treatment is highly regulated and provided safely and ethically.
While this procedure is designed to prevent mitochondrial diseases, it isn't without risk. Besides the possibility of defective DNA replicating better than healthy DNA, changing the child's genetic composition will likely increase the risk of later health problems, such as cancer or diabetes. Also, it could dangerously open the door for "designer babies," where parents can pick and choose preferred genetic characteristics for their child.