Same-sex couples could both be biological parents to their babies with new genet
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Same-sex couples could both be biological parents to their babies with new genetic technique, scientists say
The new technique - called in vitro gametogenesis - could be able to convert stem cells from parents into sex cells regardless of the parent's gender
In the future, babies could have more - or less - than two parents Getty ImagesSame-sex couples may one day be able to have children who are genetically related to both of them, scientists believe.
A new fertilisation technique is currently being developed using stem cells to create gametes (sex cells).
The technique - which is yet to be tried on humans - means an egg could potentially be created from a man’s cells and a sperm cell could be created from a woman’s.
The research by geneticists at George Washington University in the US - published in the Journal of Law and Biosciences - could also include “multiplex parenting” where children have more than two parents or just one biological parent.
Dr Sonia Suter from George Washington University said the technique - called in vitro gametogenesis - could be preferable to other fertility treatments in some circumstances but could be “substantially more problematic” when it came single parent babies.
She told Gay Star News: “We have minimal knowledge about the implications.
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“The only way to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of these techniques in humans is to use in vitro gametes (sex cells) to try to produce viable offspring in controlled settings – when and if we deem it sufficiently safe to do so.”Dr George Ndkwe, the medical director of top London fertility clinic Zita West, said the technique was “wonderful science” but could change the whole notion of parenthood in the future.
He told the Huffington Post: “There are possible uses of it, which in my opinion can be useful. “For instance, for somebody who has no sperm at all or a woman who has no egg, if you can use any of their cells to create sperm or eggs then they can have treatment, so to use it in that way specifically for treatment, in my opinion may have some benefits.
“It would completely challenge our notion of parenthood with very complex legal implications. That’s where it gets very scary.”
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Wow…
Well, I'm all up for this. If gay couples can show lots of love to adopted children or children that belong biologically to only one member of the couple, being able to have biological babies that belong to both would be greatly welcomed. This would also settle down parenthood and legal guardianship issues in case one person dies.
And heterosexual couples benefit from it too. In some countries and in certain economical or social groups, being barren is a source of stress for the individuals. Straight couples would be able to have biological babies even if one of them is sterile.
The only part that irks me is the possibility of having a baby that is biologically mine and mine alone. Almost sounds as a clone. About the 'notions of parenthood and legal implications' I daresay they wouldn't need to worry as long as this process is regulated. For example, not creating gametes without the express consent of the DNA donor (imagine a woman getting pregnant to trap a husband using just a hair root or other genetic material, that would be against the law) and not making viable embryos with more genetic material than that of 2 persons, so no 'multiplex parenting'.
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This is great news. Would be interested to learn more.
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This sounds amazing but I guess it would have to be cost effective as well if people really wanted this.
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While this is great news to anyone gays or straight. My honest opinion on this is I wouldn't jump on it. Just because we are able to convert cells to sperm/egg cells, does not mean that there won't be any issues. However, chances are it won't be my lifetime before a full research is done on how the children are though. Plus, I'll rather adopt, there's enough kids in this planet.
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omg this so amazing
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Looks far-fetched and unethical to me.
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Several news publications have lost their collective minds over the years at the idea that men could be made ‘obsolete’ in the reproductive process by this possibility.
Despite their overblown fears – and unfortunately, considering the fantastic potential for this to make biological babies of lesbian couples a reality – experiments are still ongoing.
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I and mine had our sons by a similar technique almost 30 years ago.
Besides being highly unethical at the time it was forbidden by international law.
But, having worked with some ingenious and really special people, we made it happen twice.
One son looks like me and the other looks like him. One dark and one white.
They share the same fraternal DNA between both but have separate maternal DNA.
I use to joke with them about being born in a Petrie dish.Although this was new to most people, my family has been doing this stuff for decades now. But in more natural ways. The men in the family would marry a woman who would be a good mother, but many of the children were born of women of certain characteristics to enhance the man's natural characteristics in a male child (intellect, physical abilities) The old eugenics style of creation.
growing up I always thought it was strange that on my Dad's side of the family, nobody gave birth to girls. I didn't find out until a couple of years ago why that was. Digging thru my grandparent's documents I found lots of evidence that abortions and adoptions were done on all female children.Regardless, I am glad to see the world starting to get a better grip on natural selection.
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Far-fetched, unethical, untested, massive speculation at best. So many things wrong with it. Even if one leaves ethics out at the door, there has been no such experiments in animals yet, AFAIK.
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I and mine had our sons by a similar technique almost 30 years ago.
Besides being highly unethical at the time it was forbidden by international law.
But, having worked with some ingenious and really special people, we made it happen twice.
One son looks like me and the other looks like him. One dark and one white.
They share the same fraternal DNA between both but have separate maternal DNA.
I use to joke with them about being born in a Petrie dish.Although this was new to most people, my family has been doing this stuff for decades now. But in more natural ways. The men in the family would marry a woman who would be a good mother, but many of the children were born of women of certain characteristics to enhance the man's natural characteristics in a male child (intellect, physical abilities) The old eugenics style of creation.
growing up I always thought it was strange that on my Dad's side of the family, nobody gave birth to girls. I didn't find out until a couple of years ago why that was. Digging thru my grandparent's documents I found lots of evidence that abortions and adoptions were done on all female children.Regardless, I am glad to see the world starting to get a better grip on natural selection.
Does the world really start getting a better grip on natural selection?
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I do not fear the science behind this at all. I would consider doing something like this if the option were available today.