Designer babies refer to babies that are genetic makeup has been artificially picked by genetic engineers. Combined with in vitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics.
In other words, using biotechnology to choose your desired future children to be like. Latest research is making it in reality.
Here are the traits that parents could change in a designer baby. It's gender, preferred appearance, level of intelligence, removal of possible diseases and the baby's personality.
Embryo screening involves a process called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Embryos are created by in-vitro fertilization and grown to the eight-cell stage. At this point two cells are removed.
The scientists then examine these embryos for possible defects, and only normal embryos are replaced in the womb.
Three parent babies are babies that have three genetic parents. They are created through a specialized form of In vitro fertilization in which the future baby's mitochondrial DNA comes from a third party.
According to the Future For All, there are also pros and cons about genetic babies. The pros are; reduces risk of genetic diseases, inherited medical conditions and possible increase of life span.
In addition to this the designer babies can keep pace on how others do things, better chance baby will be successful in the future.
People will understand more about genetics, the procedure can give desirable characteristics that parents do not have and prevent future generations incur unwanted characteristics and diseases.
However the cons are; some embryos needs termination, baby will have no choice in the matter and only rich people can afford it.
In addition to this this could create a gap on the society, it could damage the gene pool and in reality genetics is not perfect.
A designer baby will cause loss of individuality, genes will be used a couple of times and other children of the family will be affected by their parent's decision.
According to the The Guardian, The science for safe and effective Easy PGD is likely to exist some time in the next 20 to 40 years, says Greely.
He thinks it will then become common for children to be conceived through IVF using selected genomes. He forecasts that this will lead to "the coming obsolescence of sex" for procreation.
If the designer babies are indeed ethical horror awaiting to happen.
