Donor conception
Parents of people conceived using donor eggs or sperm may or may not choose to tell them about their genetic origins. Is this a private family matter, or are there wider public interests at stake? What kind of information might donor-conceived people and their parents need about their genetic origin? What interests do donors have in receiving information?
This short project will explore the ethical issues that arise around the disclosure of information in connection with donor-conceived people.
read more »Mitochondrial donation
The treatment of inherited mitochondrial abnormalities in human embryos using donor mitochondria is an advancing area of research. The techniques involved could have profound implications for future generations.
This project will explore the ethical issues relevant to affected families, potential donors, researchers, medical professionals and others trying to understand and respond to the therapeutic possibility of mitochondrial transfer.
read more »Mitochondrial donation - Background: Maternal spindle transfer (MST)
How would maternal spindle transfer be done?
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First, assisted reproduction techniques are used to allow the extraction of the intending mother’s egg from her ovaries. The cytoplasm of her egg contains mutated (unhealthy) mitochondria.
Mitochondrial donation - Background: Pronuclear transfer (PNT)
How would pronuclear transfer be done?
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First, IVF techniques are used to create an embryo using the intending parents’ sperm and egg. The parents’ embryo contains the mother’s mutated (unhealthy) mitochondria, which came from the cytoplasm in her egg.
Mitochondrial donation - Background: The role of genetic testing
At present, some women with mutated mitochondria who would like to use their own eggs to have a baby can be offered ways to minimise, but not prevent, their risk of passing on passing mitochondrial disorders to their child. This may be done by using embryo testing techniques to gather more information about the risk of passing on health problems. They may be offered preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and/or prenatal diagnosis (PND).
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)
read more »Mitochondrial donation - Background: Ethical questions arising
Ethical questions which may be considered as part of the project include:
read more »Mitochondrial donation - Background: What are mitochondria?
Mitochondria are small structures that are present in all the cells of the human body in multiple copies. Mitochondria are found in the cytoplasm, a gel-like substance inside the cell that surrounds the nucleus. Mitochondria produce the energy that each cell in the human body needs in order to function. Serious health problems can arise if we have mutations in the genes contained in the mitochondria, as this affects the energy available to the cell.
read more »New Working Party on mitochondrial donation
The Council has set up a new Working Party to consider the ethical issues raised by mitochondrial donation.
Mitochondrial disorders affect around 1 in 250 live births and can cause symptoms such as muscular weakness, blindness, liver failure and diabetes.
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