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Last Updated:July 17, 2025, 19:51 IST
The families have chosen to remain anonymous and have not disclosed the identities.

The mothers of the babies were reportedly at risk of passing on life-threatening diseases
Fertility among humans has reached a new milestone in the UK with the birth of eight healthy babies conceived through IVF using DNA from three individuals. This medical breakthrough occurred at Newcastle University’s fertility clinic, which was granted UK licensing in 2017. The procedure, however, was legalised in the country in 2015.
According to doctors, DNA from three people, rather than the usual two, was combined to create embryos in order to prevent the transmission of certain inherited genetic disorders. The mothers of the babies were reportedly at risk of passing on life-threatening diseases. To address this, researchers combined the egg and sperm from the biological parents with a second egg from a female donor.
As reported by the BBC, the mothers carried mutations in their mitochondria, commonly referred to as the “powerhouse" of the cell. Had these faulty mitochondria been passed on, they could have resulted in severe energy deficiencies in the babies, potentially leading to death within days of birth.
The families have chosen to remain anonymous and have not disclosed the identities of the babies. However, in a statement released through the hospital, they expressed deep gratitude to the fertility clinic.
According to the BBC, the New England Journal of Medicine has revealed that 22 families have applied for the innovative IVF procedure at Newcastle Fertility Centre. So far, it has resulted in the birth of four boys and four girls, including one set of twins. One additional mother is currently awaiting the birth of her child.
“It’s brilliant to be able to see these babies alive, thriving, and developing normally," said Professor Bobby McFarland, Director of the NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders.
None of the babies have shown signs of mitochondrial disease. One case of epilepsy resolved without intervention, while another involving an abnormal heart rhythm is being monitored by specialists.
To carry out the procedure, doctors collected egg from both the mother, fertilising it in a laboratory with the father’s sperm. The embryo was allowed to develop until it formed pro-nuclei containing the parents’ DNA. These pro-nuclei were then transferred into a healthy donor egg from which the nucleus had been removed. This resulted in a fertilised egg with chromosomes from the biological parents but healthy mitochondria from the donor. The embryo was then carefully implanted in the mother’s womb.
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News world 8 Healthy Babies Born In UK With DNA From Three People
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