• Question: If the DNA of an unborn child was incorrectly altered, what effect would that have on the child?

    Asked by gatayjackson to Yinka, Stéphane on 13 Mar 2018.
    • Photo: Stéphane Berneau

      Stéphane Berneau answered on 13 Mar 2018:

      During pregnancy, the DNA of the fetus can be altered. Depending on when it happens, the number of potential case issues increases.
      If the DNA was altered:
      – before embryo implantation, the embryo might never implant and the women would have never been aware that she was pregnant.

      – after implantation, during embryo development for the organs morphology plan, the fetus might have a reduce length organ (example limb one of both sides) or even the absence of it.

      Linked to my research, during testis development, the presence of Bisphenol A in the mother food and drinks leads to a poor development of testis (atrophies) and feminisation of the testis. Bisphenol A interferes with male hormones. Therefore, the baby will be born in a general good health. However, he has an increase chance to be sterile. There is also an effect of bisphenol A on undescended testis after birth.

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Comments

  • Photo: Gemma

    Gemma commented on :

    It would all depend on what change happened to the DNA and at what stage of embryonic development it happened. It could literally be as bad as killing the embryo, right through to no problem at all. The earlier in development that the genetic alteration happened, the more likely that it could affect the child in some way. Then it is a case of knowing what type of genetic change it is and in what gene it is in (not all changes are bad though!)