First Child Born via Mitochondrial Replacement: A Breakthrough to Spare Leigh Syndrome

In 2016, a Jordanian couple seeking to spare their child from Leigh syndrome traveled to Mexico for spindle nuclear transfer, resulting in the first live birth using mitochondrial replacement. The baby, a boy, carries nuclear DNA from the parents and donor mitochondrial DNA, a small contribution intended to prevent the disease. The case demonstrated the procedure’s feasibility but sparked ongoing ethical and regulatory debate, including U.S. bans and a fragmented international landscape governing this form of genetic intervention.