Editing Embryo (section)

=== Assisted reproductive technology ===
Creating and/or manipulating embryos via [[assisted reproductive technology]] (ART) is used for addressing fertility concerns in humans and other animals, and for [[selective breeding]] in agricultural species. Between the years 1987 and 2015, ART techniques including [[In vitro fertilisation|in vitro fertilization]] (IVF) were responsible for an estimated one million human births in the United States alone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/fertility-blog/2018/march/ivf-by-the-numbers|title=IVF by the Numbers – Penn Medicine|website=www.pennmedicine.org|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-15|archive-date=2020-04-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424230537/https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/fertility-blog/2018/march/ivf-by-the-numbers|url-status=live}}</ref> Other clinical technologies include [[preimplantation genetic diagnosis]] (PGD), which can identify certain serious genetic abnormalities, such as [[aneuploidy]], prior to selecting embryos for use in IVF.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Basille|first1=Claire|last2=Frydman|first2=René|last3=El Aly|first3=Abdelwahab|last4=Hesters|first4=Laetitia|last5=Fanchin|first5=Renato|last6=Tachdjian|first6=Gérard|last7=Steffann|first7=Julie|last8=LeLorc'h|first8=Marc|last9=Achour-Frydman|first9=Nelly|date=July 2009|title=Preimplantation genetic diagnosis: state of the art|journal=European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology|volume=145|issue=1|pages=9–13|doi=10.1016/j.ejogrb.2009.04.004|issn=1872-7654|pmid=19411132}}</ref> Some have proposed (or even attempted - see [[He Jiankui affair]]) [[Genetic engineering|genetic editing]] of human embryos via [[CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing|CRISPR-Cas9]] as a potential avenue for preventing disease;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/02/01/689623550/new-u-s-experiments-aim-to-create-gene-edited-human-embryos|title=New U.S. Experiments Aim To Create Gene-Edited Human Embryos|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2020-04-15|archive-date=2024-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910221054/https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/02/01/689623550/new-u-s-experiments-aim-to-create-gene-edited-human-embryos|url-status=live}}</ref> however, this has been met with widespread condemnation from the scientific community.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cyranoski|first1=David|last2=Ledford|first2=Heidi|date=2018-11-26|title=Genome-edited baby claim provokes international outcry|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=563|issue=7733|pages=607–608|doi=10.1038/d41586-018-07545-0|pmid=30482929|bibcode=2018Natur.563..607C|s2cid=53768039|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5550654/crispr-gene-editing-human-embryos-ban/|title=Experts Are Calling for a Ban on Gene Editing of Human Embryos. Here's Why They're Worried|magazine=Time|language=en|access-date=2020-04-15|archive-date=2022-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503161032/https://time.com/5550654/crispr-gene-editing-human-embryos-ban/|url-status=live}}</ref>

ART techniques are also used to improve the profitability of agricultural animal species such as cows and pigs by enabling selective breeding for desired traits and/or to increase numbers of offspring.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blondin|first=P.|date=January 2016|title=Logistics of large scale commercial IVF embryo production|journal=Reproduction, Fertility, and Development|volume=29|issue=1|pages=32–36|doi=10.1071/RD16317|issn=1031-3613|pmid=28278791}}</ref> For example, when allowed to breed naturally, cows typically produce one calf per year, whereas IVF increases offspring yield to 9–12 calves per year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ag4impact.org/sid/genetic-intensification/livestock-breeding/embryo-transfer/|title=Agriculture for Impact Embryo Transfer|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-15|archive-date=2020-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731013759/https://ag4impact.org/sid/genetic-intensification/livestock-breeding/embryo-transfer/|url-status=dead}}</ref> IVF and other ART techniques, including [[cloning]] via interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT),<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fletcher|first=Amy Lynn|title=Mendel's Ark|chapter=Bio-Interventions: Cloning Endangered Species as Wildlife Conservation|date=2014|pages=49–66|editor-last=Fletcher|editor-first=Amy Lynn|publisher=Springer Netherlands|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-94-017-9121-2_4|isbn=978-94-017-9121-2}}</ref> are also used in attempts to increase the numbers of endangered or vulnerable species, such as [[Northern white rhinoceros|Northern white rhinos]],<ref>{{Cite news|first=Ian|last=Sample|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/11/scientists-use-ivf-procedures-to-help-save-near-extinct-rhinos|title=Scientists use IVF procedures to help save near-extinct rhinos|date=2019-09-11|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-04-15|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=2022-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503161041/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/11/scientists-use-ivf-procedures-to-help-save-near-extinct-rhinos|url-status=live}}</ref> [[cheetah]]s,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/24/us/cheetah-cubs-ivf-scn-trnd/index.html|title=Two cheetah cubs were born for the first time by IVF. The breakthrough offers hope for the threatened species|first=Alicia|last=Lee|website=CNN|date=25 February 2020|access-date=2020-04-15|archive-date=2022-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503161032/https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/24/us/cheetah-cubs-ivf-scn-trnd/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[sturgeon]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Fatira|first1=Effrosyni|last2=Havelka|first2=Miloš|last3=Labbé|first3=Catherine|last4=Depincé|first4=Alexandra|last5=Iegorova|first5=Viktoriia|last6=Pšenička|first6=Martin|last7=Saito|first7=Taiju|date=2018-04-16|title=Application of interspecific Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (iSCNT) in sturgeons and an unexpectedly produced gynogenetic sterlet with homozygous quadruple haploid|journal=Scientific Reports|language=en|volume=8|issue=1|pages=5997|doi=10.1038/s41598-018-24376-1|pmid=29662093|pmc=5902484|bibcode=2018NatSR...8.5997F|issn=2045-2322 |bibcode-access=free }}</ref>