Designer baby

DESIGNER BABY
A designer baby is an embryo that has been genetically modified (or gene-edited) for the sake of producing a child with specific traits. In some cases, unfavorable characteristics or bad traits (like genetic disease) may be removed, or favorable traits (like enhanced intelligence or strength) might be added.

MECHANISM
Embryos for PGD are obtained from IVF procedures in which the oocyte is artificially fertilised by sperm. Oocytes from the woman are harvested following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH), which involves fertility treatments to induce production of multiple oocytes.
After harvesting the oocytes, they are fertilised in vitro, either during incubation with multiple sperm cells in culture, or via intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where sperm is directly injected into the oocyte. The resulting embryos are usually cultured for 3–6 days, allowing them to reach the blastomere or blastocyststage.

HUMAN GERMILLINE ENGINEERING
Human germline engineering is a process in which the human genome is edited within a germ cell, such as a sperm cell or oocyte (causing heritable changes), or in the zygote or embryo following fertilisation.
This process differs from somatic cell engineering, which does not result in heritable changes. Most human germline editing is performed on individual cells and non-viable embryos, which are destroyed at a very early stage of development. In November 2018, however, a Chinese scientist, He Jiankui announced that he had created the first human germline genetically edited babies.

VECTORS USED
These vectors are of two types
1. viral vectors
2. Non viral vectors

VIRAL VECTORS
Viruses infect cells by transducing their genetic material into a host's cell, using the host's cellular machinery to generate viral proteins needed for replication and proliferation.
Retroviruses are some of the most commonly used viral vectors, as they not only introduce their genetic material into the host cell, but also copy it into the host's genome. In the context of gene therapy, this allows permanent integration of the gene of interest into the patient's own DNA, providing longer lasting effects

NON VIRAL VECTORS
Non-viral methods of nucleic acid transfection involved injecting a naked DNA plasmid into cell for incorporation into the genome.[34] This method used to be relatively ineffective with low frequency of integration, however, efficiency has since greatly improved, using methods to enhance the delivery of the gene of interest into cells. Furthermore, non-viral vectors are simple to produce on a large scale and are not highly immunogenic.
Some non-viral methods are detailed below:
Electroporation
The gene gun
Oligonucleotides

EUGENICS ……..
Eugenics (/juːˈdʒɛnɪks/; from Greek εὐ- "good" and γενής "come into being, growing")[2][3] is a set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population, typically by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior and promoting those judged to be superior.

EUGENICS IS LIKE A TREE
It is self directed evolution .

History of Eugenics
began in the early 20th century, when a popular eugenics movement emerged in the United Kingdom and then spread to many countries.
In this period, people from across the political spectrum espoused eugenic ideas.
Such programs included both positive measures, such as encouraging individuals deemed particularly "fit" to reproduce, and negative measures, such as marriage prohibitions and forced sterilization of people deemed unfit for reproduction.

BOONS
Loss of gentic diversity .
Eugenic policies may lead to a loss of genetic diversity Further, a culturally-accepted "improvement" of the gene pool may result in extinction, due to increased vulnerability to disease, reduced ability to adapt to environmental change, and other factors that may not be anticipated in advance. This has been evidenced in numerous instances, in isolated island populations. A long-term, species-wide eugenics plan might lead to such a scenario because the elimination of traits deemed undesirable would reduce genetic diversity by definition.

ETHICS..
Societal and political consequences of eugenics call for a place in the discussion on the ethics behind the eugenics movement. Many of the ethical concerns regarding eugenics arise from its controversial past, prompting a discussion on what place, if any, it should have in the future.
Therefore, eugenics is no longer ex post facto regulation of the living but instead preemptive action on the unborn.

Would ‘designer babies’ herald a new era of eugenics?

DESIGNER BABIES ARE NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT EUGENICS .
September [2018] saw the announcement from scientists of the first manufacture of human egg cells in the lab.
…
Despite the apparent breakthrough, it will be years yet before lab-created sex cells are ready for use in human reproduction. But the development nonetheless raises the question of whether it is a milestone on the road toward … a world of cloning, designer babies, and children with four genetic parents. …
A century after the heyday of eugenics, morally obtuse advocates for human enhancement, along with a collection of libertarians and assorted cranks, continue to hold out hope for its return in a redeemed form, one that is voluntary and medical rather than state-controlled and racist.

Editing the human genome brings us one step closer to consumer eugenics
Where genetic engineering really can do something that embryo selection cannot is in genetic enhancement – better known as designer babies.. We have already seen that dynamic at work with the “three-parent IVF” technique developed for very rare mitochondrial genetic conditions. Already, a scientist has created babies that way in Mexico (specifically to avoid US regulations) and a company has been set up with the aim of developing the science of designer babies.Not possible without eugenics

Conclusion on Designer babies
Although there are some benefits in creating a designer baby we believe that the risks are much greater than the possible positive outcomes that might take place .
Even though altering your childs genes could save someones else life it can also leave your child with harmul viruses and mutations .