Researchers, at the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science of St Barnabas in New Jersey, have confirmed that 30 children have already been born using this method. No evidence' Infertility pioneer Lord Winston of the Hammersmith Hospital in London told BBC News Online that he had great reservations about it. I am very surprised that it was even carried out at this stage. Lord Winston said that, although the number of additional genes involved was tiny, it was in principle the wrong thing to do. The technique involves introducing a small amount of cell material from a donated egg, in order to overcome the mother's fertility problems.
Women can be infertile if their otherwise healthy eggs are relatively inactive.
To overcome this, scientists inject cellular material known as cytoplasm from a donor's egg. The US scientists used genetic fingerprinting techniques to demonstrate the DNA is passed on to the children. The additional genes that the children carry slightly alter their germline, or collection of genes that they, in turn, will pass on to their offspring. The researchers say the genetic changes are extremely minor and have no effect on the eventual child's characteristics.