Will IVF babies have genetic problems when they grow up?

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Will IVF babies have genetic problems when they grow up?

IVF is a method of transferring fertilized eggs into the uterus through in vitro fertilization technology to help infertile couples achieve fertility. Although IVF technology has achieved remarkable success in assisting pregnancy, many people are concerned about whether these IVF babies will face genetic problems in adulthood. This article will discuss this problem from the aspects of genetic diseases, infant screening, gene editing and long-term follow-up.

Importance of genetic disease screening

In IVF technology, embryos may carry genetic disease related gene mutations during in vitro fertilization. Therefore, some local hospitals will conduct genetic disease screening before IVF transplantation to reduce the number of babies with genetic diseases. Through genetic disease screening, abnormal genes that may cause genetic diseases can be found and identified as soon as possible, helping couples choose healthy embryos.

In China, Peking Union Medical College Hospital is a medical institution with rich experience, providing IVF and related infant screening services. The hospital helps couples screen and exclude embryos carrying abnormal genes through genetic testing of IVF embryos, thereby reducing the risk of genetic diseases in newborns.

Application of gene editing technology

In recent years, the development of gene editing technology provides a new way to solve the genetic problem of IVF. Gene editing technology can be used to repair or delete abnormal genes carried by embryos and reduce the occurrence of genetic diseases. Scientists from Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have successfully applied CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology in IVF to repair mutations in genes related to some genetic diseases, providing a new solution to the genetic problems of IVF.

Long term follow-up and health management

Long term follow-up and health management are also important measures to prevent genetic problems after IVF is grown up. Some medical institutions provide long-term tracking and health monitoring services, as well as comprehensive genetic counseling for adult IVF and early prevention and treatment of related diseases.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK are carrying out a project called "GenOMICC", which aims to collect and analyze the genome data of tens of thousands of children and adolescents to understand the relationship between different gene mutations and genetic diseases. This will provide an important scientific basis for the health management of IVF after adulthood.

Summary

To sum up, whether IVF babies will have genetic problems after adulthood involves many aspects, including genetic disease screening, the application of gene editing technology, long-term follow-up and health management. Some local hospitals can eliminate embryos carrying abnormal genes and reduce the risk of genetic diseases through genetic disease screening; Gene editing technology provides a new solution for repairing or deleting abnormal genes in embryos; Long term follow-up and health management can help monitor and prevent potential genetic problems. Through the application of these measures, the possibility of healthy growth of IVF in adulthood can be increased.