Baby Designing: Perfection in The Next Generation

Nobody is perfect. I have heard that all my life. But then, haven’t we all?

But genetic engineering has proved it wrong. A new field is emerging, called Baby Designing.

Baby Designing is a stream of Bioengineering. A designer baby is a baby that is the result of genetic modification.

Genetic modification
By vchal/ Shutterstock

Embryos of the developed child are screened prior to implantation, and/or gene therapy techniques are used to insert the desired traits in an unborn child.

Embryo screening involves a process called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

Embryos are created by an artificial fertilization and grown to the eight-cell stage, at which point one or two cells are removed. Scientists then examine the DNA of these cells for defects, and the embryos are replaced in the womb.

 

Traits that can be changed are-

  • Gender
  • Appearance
  • Intelligence
  • Disease
  • Personality

The ultimate goal of gene editing technologies is to make precise and controlled modifications to specific areas of the genome. This is a powerful ability. Gene editing unlocks access to an entirely new way to fight diseases, which are hereditary. However, this technology has been unreachable until now.

Every year, around 7.9 million children are born with a severe birth defect that has a significant genetic contribution. If we could safely and easily correct these errors at the embryonic stage, it would be possible to eradicate the burden of diseases.

By anyaivanova/ Shutterstock

30% of all the deaths worldwide are due to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, in those under the age of 70. We all know of people who seem resistant to the difficulties of aging and live well into their 80s and 90s. By editing our genes, we can ensure that we all have the best chance to live healthily into old age.

Many fear that such research will lead us on a path to “designer babies”. Some people shudder at this thought.To them, it looks as if parents are picking and choosing the genes of their children, just as they pick and choose their groceries. What do you feel about this? Do you think it goes against Nature?

I would say, “Yes”. And that’s not only it. We have one too many ‘good’ reasons to be concerned about this prospect.

By PP77LSK/ Shutterstock

Widespread access to gene editing technologies could harm children and damage the genes. Genes popular and fashionable in one generation may prove to be harmful in the next. Also, parental control of the gene pool could reduce diversity. If every parent picks the same genes for their children, they will become robots. Human Robots.

Is mankind heading towards the correct notion? In this diverse world, why do we seek to converge everything? Beauty is only prevalent in places of diversity. What is more beautiful, a forest or a desert? Mankind must change. Only if we have people who are more talented than us, we will have a role model to look up to. An inspiration.

Our life should be defined by ourselves, not by our genes. Life is God’s most valued gift. We must learn to live with it to its fullest, and live for the tiny, tiny days of happiness that it gives us. We mustn’t look at its flaws.

 

Apart from this, there is one more thing I can say:

Best of Luck Future! 🙂

Check out 11 Best Cars to Modify.

Published by
Janani Ganesh