Edit our child's technology for us: adjustments needed
Here's a fresh take on the article:
Hey there! Ever heard about this groundbreaking embryo evaluation system? According to The Wall Street Journal, it's the first of its kind, offering a plethora of possibilities for assessing embryos. The main goal? To identify the likelihood of 900 genetic diseases. But that's not all – it can also predict traits like eye color, hair color, growth, gender, and intellectual abilities. Parents can then choose what's known as the "optimal" embryo based on this analysis. It comes with a hefty $6000 price tag.
Now, let's talkabout what we really know. Genetic testing in embryos can help identify specific genetic disorders like Down syndrome or cystic fibrosis during IVF procedures. On the other hand, some companies are using something called polygenic scores. These scores, like those offered by Nucleus Genomics, assess complex traits (e.g., intelligence or anxiety), providing probabilities rather than definitive predictions for traits like intellectual abilities.
But here's the catch – predicting traits like eye color, hair color, growth, or gender with genetic data alone isn't entirely accurate. These predictions are usually based on family history and known genetic markers for specific traits. Recent advancements in embryo evaluation include technologies like gastruloids, which help study early embryonic development, but they don't directly relate to predicting the mentioned traits.
So, while this self-proclaimed breakthrough in genetic testing is certainly intriguing, it's important to remember that predicting a wide range of traits like eye color, hair color, growth, gender, and intellectual abilities with high accuracy isn't feasible with current technology. The Wall Street Journal might have discussed a specific system, but the details on such a comprehensive predictive system aren't readily available. Keep that in mind when considering this new approach!
This groundbreaking embryo evaluation system, while offering promising possibilities for assessing embryos, isn't yet capable of accurately predicting traits like eye color, hair color, growth, gender, and intellectual abilities with high accuracy using only current technology. Despite advancements in embryo evaluation like gastruloids, these technologies do not directly relate to the mentioned traits prediction with high accuracy.
