page_title: Savior sibling
section_title: Procedure
hierarchical_section_title: Savior sibling / Procedure
caption_attribution_description: English: 8-cell human embryo, day 3
context_page_description: A savior baby or savior sibling is a child who is born to provide an organ or cell transplant to a sibling that is affected with a fatal disease, such as cancer or Fanconi anemia, that can best be treated by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
  The savior sibling is conceived through in vitro fertilization. Fertilized zygotes are tested for genetic compatibility, using preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and only zygotes that are compatible with the existing child are implanted. Zygotes are also tested to make sure they are free of the original genetic disease. The procedure is controversial.
context_section_description: Multiple embryos are created and preimplantation genetic diagnosis is used to detect and select ones that are free of a genetic disorder and that are also a HLA match for an existing sibling who requires a transplant. Upon birth, umbilical cord blood is taken and used for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
caption: 8-cell human embryo, 3 days after fertilization
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