Dumfries mother who lost her son to a rare genetic disorder defends new controversial IVF treatment

A mum who lost her son to a genetic disease has defended a controversial IVF treatment.

Dumfries student nurse Beccy Foster believes MPs were right this week to permit the creation of babies with DNA from three people.

The aim is to enable those with genetic disorders to have healthy children.

Opponents claim it marks the start of a slippery slope towards designer babies.

But Beccy, whose son Daniel McColm died of mitochondrial disease at five months, said: If these people had lost a child or family member through a disease like this they may feel differently about it.

Its not about making designer babies. This is a terrible illness and the children born with it have a very low life expectancy.

The treatment will give parents the chance to have a healthy baby and break the genetic chain.

In a milestone for medical science, Britain is to become the first country in the world to allow the creation of so-called three-parent babies.

MPs this week voted overwhelmingly in favour of the controversial technique three-person IVF babies to prevent some mitochondrial diseases being passed on in DNA.

The law allowing the licensing of mitochondrial donation will come into effect in October.

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Dumfries mother who lost her son to a rare genetic disorder defends new controversial IVF treatment