First baby with DNA from three people born in the UK

DNA altering process sees nucleus of mother’s egg placed in donor

The first UK baby created with DNA from three people has been born through the use of a pioneering IVF procedure, reports say.

The child developed through a process known as mitochondrial donation treatment (MDT) which involves taking the nucleus from one of the mother’s eggs – containing her DNA – and implanting it into a donor egg that had its nucleus removed but retained the donor’s healthy mitochondrial DNA.

It is a means of creating IVF embryos that are free from harmful mutations their mothers carry and are likely to pass on to their children.