designer babies-gender selection

The new born baby will then be free of any chances on manifesting that disease . A concrete example can be seen in the case of the sickle-cell anemia . This happens when a mutation occurs in the genetic code for the hemoglobin , an important component in our blood . Instead of the gene coding for the amino acid glutamine , an abnormal hemoglobin gene codes for valine . This results to a deformity in the hemoglobin 's structure and causes the sickle-cell anemia disease (Genes and Diseases . If at any point before birth , this mutation is

detected and replaced with a normal hemoglobin gene , the infant would then have no reason for acquiring this disease in the near future

Another sickness that can be cured by this technique is the Gaucher disease . Normally , there is a gene responsible for the creation of an enzyme called glucocerebrosidase that the body uses to break down the fat glucocerebroside . A person with a mutation in this gene cannot produce the enzyme properly , and the fat , not being degraded accumulates in areas such as the liver and spleen . This accumulation brings forth jaundice , fatigue , anemia and even death . Today , the common therapy for this is by enzyme replacement , where a modified enzyme which is able to break down the fat is administered intravenously . But this requires continuous administration of the enzyme , usually repeated every week (Genes and Diseases . Through designer babies ' that mutated gene can be replaced by a healthy one , saving the infant from the disease and from the laborious work of weekly therapy

The technique of designer babies ' also proves useful in shutting down certain genes which may cause malfunction of body parts . There are chances that the genes causing polio , blindness , deafness and others disabilities be pinpointed , shut off , and modified , preventing them to be...