A mother who carries a baby in her womb modifies her genes, even when the egg used is from another woman, which means that her child will be born with similar traits to her, according to research carried out by the Valencia Infertility Institute Foundation (IVI).
Egg donation gives thousands of people the chance to experience pregnancy and have a baby through the process of In Vitro fertilization (IVF). In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), but taking this step during the process can be a difficult thing to go through.
When hearing the word "embryo donation", it is natural that many patients have all kinds of fears and doubts. ovodonationIt is natural that many patients have all kinds of fears and doubts, because the cell that will form their embryo belongs to another woman; but recent studies about the genetics of embryos show that they are modified during the gestation process.
A finding that may go a long way to dispel many of the prejudices and misconceptions about cell donation.
What happens inside the womb is much more important than the egg itself, as a number of changes occur inside the egg that will influence the development of the embryo and even the growth of the person after birth.
The development of a baby involves much more than an egg and sperm or their union, it involves its formation inside the womb for 9 months, during which different processes take place that directly influence its genetics, even modifying certain traits such as:
IVF research found that there is a direct relationship between the developing embryo and the gestating mother, in which the baby's genome is modified, as an exchangetakes place between the embryo and the endometrium, which is the inner tissue of the uterus.
While the egg-donating mother will not contribute the entire genetic load of the baby, she will shape its genes, directly influencing its traits, expressions and even its ability to react to certain diseases.
The endometrial fluid contains vesicle-like sacs called exosomes, which in turn are loaded with RNA molecules from the mother, which come into direct contact with the nucleus of the embryo, where the embryo's genes are located.
This mixture is responsible for regulating the expression of certain specific genes, so that some traits emerge and others do not. This exchange occurs in the same way when a mother does not undergo a process of Assisted Reproduction with egg donation; so that her baby, the shapes and traits that he will later manifest, are also defined in the gestation process
While in the womb, the embryo develops through the umbilical cord, receiving blood, food and oxygen that are directly dependent on its mother's genetics, habits and lifestyle, transmitting a wealth of information that will undoubtedly influence how it will look, speak and smile.
The egg donation represents a unique opportunity for many women who yearn to become mothers by receiving a cell that will subsequently form and grow inside them, to which they will imprint their own genes, moulding them over the course of 9 months.
Therefore, once your baby is born, he or she may display different physical traits similar to his or her mother, ranging from Chinese hair and honey-coloured eyes to a particular way of laughing.
In this sense, an egg donation is a small help to be able to experience one of the most incredible stages of human nature: to gestate and give life to a baby that will have your blood and genes moulded by you, a person who will be 100% your child today and forever.
Source:
1. F. Vilella, J. M. Moreno-Moya, N. Balaguer, A. Grasso, M. Herrero, S. Martínez, A. Marcilla , C. Simón. "Hsa-miR-30d, secreted by the human endometrium, is taken up by the pre-implantation embryo and might modify its transcriptome” (2015).
