Scientists have confirmed babies conceived with DNA from three individuals were delivered free of hereditary genetic diseases.
Eight babies have been born in the UK using DNA from three people in a groundbreaking medical procedure designed to prevent devastating and often fatal genetic conditions, according to doctors.
The technique, developed by UK scientists, involves combining the egg and sperm of the biological parents with a second egg from a female donor. This approach, known as mitochondrial donation, has been legal in the UK for a decade. These births mark the first clear evidence that the procedure is leading to children being born free of incurable mitochondrial diseases.
Mitochondrial conditions, which are passed from mother to child, can deprive the body of energy. This often results in severe disabilities, and in many cases, babies die just days after birth. Couples are usually aware they are at risk when the mother, a family member, or a previous child has been affected.
In the three-person technique, children inherit almost all of their DNA from their mother and father, but receive a small portion—about 0.1%—from the donor woman. This genetic contribution includes healthy mitochondria, which are then passed down to future generations.
None of the families involved have spoken publicly to protect their privacy, but anonymous statements were released through the Newcastle Fertility Centre, where the procedures were carried out.
“After years of uncertainty this treatment gave us hope – and then it gave us our baby,” said the mother of a baby girl. “We look at them now, full of life and possibility, and we’re overwhelmed with gratitude.”
The mother of a baby boy said: “Thanks to this incredible advancement and the support we received, our little family is complete. The emotional burden of mitochondrial disease has been lifted, and in its place is hope, joy, and deep gratitude.”
Mitochondria are tiny energy-producing structures found in almost every cell in the body. They use oxygen to convert food into the energy the body needs to function. When mitochondria are defective, they can cause severe health issues including brain damage, seizures, blindness, muscle weakness, organ failure, and in some cases, death.
Around one in every 5,000 babies is born with mitochondrial disease. The Newcastle team estimates there could be demand for 20 to 30 babies to be born through this method each year.
In some tragic cases, parents have experienced the loss of multiple children due to these conditions. Since mitochondria are only passed from mother to child, the technique involves using a third person—a woman who donates healthy mitochondria—to replace the faulty ones in the mother’s egg.
The science behind this procedure was pioneered over a decade ago at Newcastle University and the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. A specialised service was launched within the NHS in 2017 to support affected families.
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