From FOX News:
Pregnancy at 100? A newborn giving birth?
Both may be possible in 30 years, according to Davor Solter, a developmental biologist at the Institute of Medical Biology in Singapore.
Solter, writing in the journal Nature, claims that advancements over the next 30 years should make it possible for women at any age to give birth.
Solter said this will be possible if scientists continue advancing germ cell technology, which involves turning skin cells into sperm and eggs, and then combining the two into human embryos.
"It means every person regardless of age will be able to have children: Newborn children could have children and 100-year-olds could have children," he wrote. "It could easily happen in the next 30 years."
...Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing editor of health for FOXNews.com, said while pregnancy at 100 may be possible some day, it likely would not be recommended by most doctors because "there are numerous health risks to women — and their babies — who decide to give birth late in life."
"The stress that is put on the heart, kidneys and liver put the lives of older women in danger," he said. "And babies have the risk of not getting enough nutrients because the vascular system would be so compromised in the wombs of 100-year-olds."
..."Today you can't experiment on human embryos because it's considered morally repugnant — and they are difficult to get," [Solter] wrote.
"If embryos could be grown in culture like any other cell line, this latter problem would disappear. It would mean you could introduce any kind of genetic modification," he continued. "The cell lines could be used to correct a mutation or to engineer an improvement, and used to make a mutant embryo for research purposes."
Solter said he also envisions a future where babies are grown in artificial placentas for research purposes.
How creepy!
This Solter sounds like a real Dr. Frankstein. He looks forward to the day when he can freely play with embryos. That's morally repugnant.
In any event, a 100-year-old woman should not be having a baby. This isn't about what can be done but what should be done.
Why would such an old woman want to become a parent anyway?
Even if it were possible, no responsible individual of sound mind would have a baby at 100.
It would be a terribly selfish act.
2 comments:
Most likely, the centenarian or neonate will only be the genetic parent (with the gestational mother being of typical reproductive age).
Who child's social guardians/parents are is a different story.
I thought so, too -- that the 100-year-old mother would be the genetic parent.
But this made me wonder:
Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing editor of health for FOXNews.com, said while pregnancy at 100 may be possible some day, it likely would not be recommended by most doctors because "there are numerous health risks to women — and their babies — who decide to give birth late in life."
"The stress that is put on the heart, kidneys and liver put the lives of older women in danger," he said. "And babies have the risk of not getting enough nutrients because the vascular system would be so compromised in the wombs of 100-year-olds."
He's talking about an old woman actually carrying the baby and giving birth.
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