Posted on 10/06/2007 5:53:56 AM PDT by NYer
A man of 72 is to donate sperm to try to father his own 'grandchild'.
He has been cleared to provide the sperm to his daughter-in-law to allow her to become a mother.
Any baby born will be its grandfather's genetic child and a halfbrother or half-sister to the man it takes to be its father.
What do you think about the case? Join the debate
The case - believed to be the first of its kind in the UK - raises ethical questions about how well the child will cope with such unusual family circumstances.
The Harley Street doctors treating the couple, however, say that the child's interests were paramount when taking the decision.
The couple, whose identity is being kept secret, opted for donor sperm after IVF treatment with the husband's own failed.
They turned to the husband's father, rather than an anonymous donor, because they wanted a child as genetically similar to both families as possible.
Peter Bowen-Simpkins, codirector of the London Women's Clinic which is carrying out the procedure, said the couple and the grandfather had undergone extensive counselling.
"I've certainly never come across a case like this before," he said.
"But advancements in fertility treatment have overcome a lot of taboos in science which means that people are prepared to consider all sorts of options.
"Obviously, the wife's mother-inlaw also had to be included in all of the conversations but she has no objections.
"Society has also changed its perceptions of what is and what is not acceptable.
"In this case, keeping the genetic identity of the child similar to their own was a huge factor.
"The husband does not have a brother, which is why he chose his own father to assist."
Kamal Ahuja, the clinic's scientific director, said: "We spent many, many months deliberating this case and discussed it with our ethics committee and with counsellors and have come to the conclusion that they shouldn't have been denied treatment."
It is not known if the couple, who are in their thirties, intend to tell the child about its parentage.
The child will be able to track down its biological father on turning 18.
Critics cautioned that the child could face major identity issues.
Philippa Taylor, of Care, a Christian charity, said: "The reproductive whims of parents to do some deliberate and unnecessary social engineering should not be put before the welfare of the child.
"Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should."
A spokesman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said donations from family members were legal and relatively common.
Preliminary tests at the clinic suggest that the 72-year-old's sperm is viable.
I’m reading through this thread, just amazed. I cannot understand couples who are so obsessed with having children that they take these desperate measures. My husband and I were very fortunate to have children together easily, without ever planning to. We devote our lives to our children.
But, if we had never been able to have children together the natural way, we would not have taken any extraordinary measures. We just would’ve accepted our lot, had careers, and earned a ton of money. The basis of marriage is procreation and continuing the family line, but not by any means necessary.
Half the chromosomes (that contain the genes) have to be paired from the father, and the other half from the mother. Of course, whether the chromosomes that were paired contain genes that were also dominant in the father, is randomly decided, but nevertheless, half the genetic instructions comes from the father's body, where the specific genes may have either been dominant or recessive, in his body. There is no way a mother can provide more than 50% of the non-sex-determining chromosomes that are paired.
“There is no way a mother can provide more than 50% of the non-sex-determining chromosomes that are paired.”
Actually, there are ways, but that was not the issue. The article is about a child whose legal father is his biological brother. And once again, it is possible that the child will have none of his legal father’s genetic material, but that is about as unlikely as having 50%. It is much more likely he will have in the neighborhood of 25%. And the exact amount cannot be determined, as it is random.
And I’m not quite sure the relevance of bringing up dominant and recessive traits in all of this. We were talking about genes, not phenotypes.
I thought the diagram I gave you would have clarified this.
I hope your relative’s situation works out for the best.
I have relatives who’ve adopted overseas, too. One told me he and his wife didn’t even try to adopt an American baby because an adoption here would have been so difficult. But then, years later, I met a European couple who easily adopted an American baby as an infant. I checked further — it turns out, while Americans are going overseas to adopt infants, Europeans and Canadians come here to adopt infants.
It was my understanding that when chromosomes pair up, one half of each pair comes from the father, and the other half, from the mother. Can one chromosome from the mother pair with another chromosome, from the same mother?
“Can one chromosome from the mother pair with another chromosome, from the same mother?”
Yes, trisomies do occur, but this is an issue completely unrelated to anything in this thread. Even if chromosomes pair up the way you think, it is still unlikely the baby will have 50% of its legal father’s genes. And it is possible it will have 0%. The diagram I posted to you illustrates this.
You ummmm .....know that’s Me and Eaker don’t ya ? I am the good looking one with the watch. Eakers so stooopid he has to look at it to tell me what time it is.....;o)
It’s almost exactly what happened with Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38), except Judah didn’t quite realize what he was doing...
Good theory, but Angelina Jolie is snapping them all up at an alarming rate, LOL! :)
Just kidding. I agree with you 100%. Having never been a “birth mother” myself, I still dare anyone to get between me and my three Bear Cubs. (I married a man with one son, then we ended up raising his two nephews as well.)
I had NEVER had that “urge” to be a “Mom” until I met that blonde-haired, blue-eyed little munchkin that was to become “my son.” Then all was lost, and it became “all about him” and not “all about me” for one single moment beyond our first meeting. My two nephews were a total, unexpected, joyful bonus. Those three all have a piece of my heart. And I would have gladly raised the other 12 nieces and nephews I have could I have gotten them away from their (completely competent) parents, LOL!
I have been BLESSED! :)
If anyone has never considered adoption; consider it!
think of all the "straw man" arguments there are right now.
Where, in South America or Uzbekistan?
Both!
For many years I was actively involved with a group called Adoptive Parents Committee (BTW - I am both adopted and an adoptive parent). APC is based out of Long Island (NY), with branches in CT, NJ and other parts of NYS. Their primary purpose, as a not for profit organization, is to assist those who seek to adopt and find homes for all the children who are bereft of loving families. This is a wonderful organization. They hold workshops throughout the year for that purpose.
When Spring arrives, APC holds a special service called 'Candlelighting'. On that night, those who have adopted are called forth and handed a candle to celebrate the new life in their family. The candle is encircled by two ribbons - one green (for new life) and one blue or pink (for the gender of the child they have adopted). Those seeking to adopt are also called forth and handed a candle tied with two ribbons - silver to signifiy their hope (for the silver lining of the cloud) and the other color I no longer recall.
I will NEVER forget the one Candlelighting when an adoptive couple was called forth. They were handed a candlelabara with 5 candles, each tied with a green ribbon and then blue or pink for the gender of the child! This was a Jewish family who had a beautiful home in Dix Hills, NY. They had married young, raised a large family and, at 45, felt too young to exchange their house for a retirement home. So, they chose to adopt a sibling group of 5, from somewhere in South America. The sibling group ranged from a child still in a stroller to one in high school. It was quite a beautiful sight! On that Canclelighting evening, they extended their candlelabara to those seeking to adopt and many chose to light their candles from those of this family. This was a night of inspiration.
Several months later, I attended an APC barbeque. The family was there with the children who now populated the house they had once contemplated exchanging for a retirement home. "Mom" pushed the stroller and the other children lovingly responded by assisting in any and every way. Everyone smiled broadly, from ear to ear. This beautiful new family was formed, through adoption. God bless them all!
Thank you, Diana! I am both adopted and an adoptive parent. The key ingredient in adoption is tota trust in God for direction and guidance.
I’d say that your advice applies to ‘Life In General.’ :)
Ok. So it’s already a child at this point. It still doesn’t change that she is having the child of her husband’s father.
I know. I’d rather not have children than do something like this. I figure if I and my future spouse are unable to have children, we’ll have to save enough money to adopt a child or be foster parents.
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