A UK fertility group has found that technology for creating lab-grown eggs or sperm is very close to becoming workable
Exclusive: Lab-Grown Eggs and Sperm Seen as a Major Breakthrough in Fertility Research
Making eggs and sperm in a lab to have a baby with yourself or multiple people in a shared parenting setup may sound like something from a dystopian story.
But these ideas are being seriously considered by the UK’s fertility regulator, which believes the technology may soon become possible.
With support from Silicon Valley investors, scientists are making fast progress. Lab-grown human eggs and sperm could be a reality within the next 10 years, according to a recent meeting of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
In-vitro gametes (IVGs), which are eggs or sperm created from reprogrammed skin or stem cells in a lab, are seen as the ultimate goal in fertility research.
The technology could help people of any age have children and might allow same-sex couples to have biological children together. However, it also comes with new medical and ethical risks, which the HFEA now thinks should be addressed in a review of fertility laws.
Peter Thompson, head of the HFEA, said: “In-vitro gametes could greatly increase the availability of human sperm and eggs for research. If it is proven to be safe, effective, and acceptable to the public, it could offer new fertility treatments for men with low sperm counts and women with few eggs.”
The technology could also lead to new possibilities like single parents having biological children and multiple people co-parenting. Julia Chain, chair of the HFEA, joked: “We might need Steven Spielberg on this committee,” when discussing how to regulate this technology.
Lab-grown eggs have already been used to produce healthy babies in mice, including ones with two biological fathers. While this hasn’t yet been done with human cells, US companies like Conception and Gameto are working on it.
The HFEA meeting discussed that the estimated timeframes for using IVGs in clinics could be anywhere from two to three years – which is considered optimistic – to up to ten years. Many doctors at the meeting thought IVGs would eventually become a regular part of medical practice.
However, using IVGs in clinics is not allowed by current laws, and there would be many challenges in proving that IVGs are safe. One big concern is that any accidental genetic changes in the cells could be passed down to future generations.
The technology also raises many ethical questions.
Solo parenting – where the egg and sperm come from the same person – is different from social single parenting. This approach could increase the risk of recessive genetic disorders, which are caused by faulty genes that most people carry but are usually not a problem because they have two copies of each gene (one from each parent).
A baby created this way might not have a healthy backup gene, making it more likely to inherit genetic issues. Frances Flinter, a clinical genetics expert at King’s College London, said at the meeting, “It’s like the extreme version of incest, and that’s why it’s so dangerous. No one would consider it safe.”
The meeting members agreed that solo parenting should be banned.
The HFEA meeting discussed how long it might take for IVGs (a new reproductive technology) to be used in clinics. The estimates ranged from two to three years, which some considered optimistic, to up to ten years. Many doctors believe IVGs will eventually become common in medicine.
However, current laws don’t allow IVGs in clinics, and there are many challenges to prove they are safe. A big concern is that any accidental genetic changes could be passed on to future generations.
The technology also raises ethical issues.
Solo parenting, where both the egg and sperm come from the same person, is different from single parenting. This method could increase the risk of recessive genetic disorders, which happen when faulty genes are passed down. Normally, people have two copies of each gene, so one faulty gene doesn’t usually cause problems. But with solo parenting, a baby might not have a healthy backup gene, making it more likely to inherit genetic issues.
Frances Flinter, a clinical genetics expert, compared it to an extreme version of incest, calling it very dangerous. The meeting members agreed that solo parenting should be banned.
Published: 27th January 2025
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