• Question: Can you change an unborn baby's cosmetic features genetically? for example hair colour, eye colour etc.

    Asked by totman98 to Asif, Laura, Lena, Sean, Viv on 15 Mar 2012. This question was also asked by bonnie26, andnib25, sparks.
    • Photo: Sean Murphy

      Sean Murphy answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      We are currently researching how we can correct some gene mutations in babies before they are born. If we are successful in doing this, then it may be possible to change other things. Although the risks involved for the baby will probably outweigh any cosmetic benefit.

    • Photo: Laura Waters

      Laura Waters answered on 15 Mar 2012:

      I think it is wrong to even consider changing cosmetic features as people should be happy with a baby as long as they are all healthy. If there is a serious problem though then it seems right to do anything we can to help.

    • Photo: Lena Ciric

      Lena Ciric answered on 18 Mar 2012:

      I think we’ll be able to do this relatively soon. Whether we should be doing it is another question… I don’t think we should. In some countries, it’s possible to chose the sex of the embryos implanted during IVF. Again, whether this is right or not is up for debate.

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