Science & Technology

First baby is born without inherited disease

By T.K. Randall
March 29, 2015 ·  25 comments

The baby was fit and healthy thanks to a revolutionary new IVF technique. Image Credit: sxc.hu Lucas Meagu had been at great risk of inheriting Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease from his mother, Carmen, who had in turn inherited it from her father. The unpleasant condition, which can cause crippling muscle weakness, currently has no known cure.

"For me the risk was too high," said Carmen. "My dad had severe symptoms and it really got him down. He was unable to walk unaided and he always felt people were looking at him and staring. It had a massive impact on him mentally. "

Despite the risk however Lucas was born fit and healthy with no sign of the condition thanks to a remarkable new technique capable of isolating embryos that are free of genetic disease.The ground-breaking method could soon offer hope to thousands of couples in a similar situation who are concerned about passing a genetic disorder on to their children.

It works by taking DNA samples from both the couple and their closest relatives and comparing the gene sequences to identify which parts of the genetic code are defective. The embryos to be used in the IVF treatment are then biopsied to determine which are free of the disease.

"Lucas is absolutely perfect. I have peace of mind now that he is going to be ok," said Carmen. "I would recommend it to any other mother who is worried about passing on an illness."

Source: Telegraph | Comments (25)

Tags: IVF, Birth, Parents