“Three Parents”: Debunking the Myth

Don’t be misled by the headline. The donor doesn’t contribute the genes that determine the child’s appearance in what we usually call “traits.” Her contribution is mitochondrial (energy). The baby’s genetic identity, which is passed down from generation to generation, is contained in the parents’ nuclear DNA. Regulators insist on this to avoid misunderstandings.

And scientific literature also emphasizes that the donor’s contribution is minimal and functional (a “healthy motor”).

What if we compare it with other alternatives?

• Traditional IVF: It works for many people, but it doesn’t prevent mitochondrial diseases if the mother is a carrier.
• PGT/PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis): It helps select embryos with a better prognosis, but it has limitations in detecting/estimating mitochondrial heteroplasmy and doesn’t “cure” the underlying problem.
• Egg donation: very high success rates, but the baby does not inherit the mother’s genetics.
• Pronuclear transplant: balances: you preserve the mother’s genetics and minimize the risk of mitochondrial disease. If you add surrogacy, you also overcome the obstacle of carrying the pregnancy.

Real cases: from the laboratory to healthy babies

It’s not theory. In the United Kingdom, after years of research, the HFEA has confirmed the birth of healthy babies through mitochondrial donation, including pronuclear transfer. Clinical evidence published in 2025 increases confidence, although experts call for long-term follow-up (as with any new technique) to monitor residual levels of maternal mitochondria and their stability.

Our clinic in Albania has been performing this procedure for several years with very good results. If you do not wish to undergo the full surrogacy process in Albania, you can undergo IVF. in Albania, and carry out the rest of the process in another country that suits your needs. We remind you that surrogacy takes place in the country where the child is born, not where the surrogate mother becomes pregnant. In this case, the surrogate mother would travel to Albania for treatment and return to the country where we are conducting the program.

Risks and Limits

• There is no 100% guarantee of eliminating all altered mitochondria (residual heteroplasmy may remain). The balance between healthy and defective mitochondria is not entirely predictable in all cases.
• Compatibility: There may be mismatches between the donor’s mitochondrial DNA and the mother’s nuclear DNA, although the clinical goal is to minimize them.
• Demanding technique: PNT and MST require rigorous protocols and experience.
• Cost: high, and in “per transfer” programs, the bill increases if multiple attempts are required (the dossier details supplements for PNT, extra oocytes, and PGT, which are paid separately).

Figures from the dossier that guide expectations (not promises)

• Fertilization (post-micromanipulation): ~92%.
• Development to blastocyst (day 5–6, high quality): ~60%.
• Euploidy after PGT-A: ~60–70% (depending on age/group).
• Clinical pregnancy per single blastocyst transferred: ~47%.
• Live births: ~48% in the reported series.
• No genetic anomalies detected in the newborns described in that cohort.

The idea isn’t to sell miracles. It’s to provide real numbers so you can make an informed decision.

And the cost? (which is usually asked first and last)

Request the dossier on pronuclear transplantation. Include a section on the costs of PNT within surrogacy programs, indicating that pronuclear transplantation entails an additional cost compared to a program with your own eggs and a transfer, and that there are additional charges for extra oocytes and for PGD/PGT up to a certain number of embryos.

Economic translation: it’s a more expensive option and depends on transfers, not a “closed package” like some egg donation programs.

To compare scenarios and see what suits you best, it’s a good idea to speak with your family advisor at Gestlife Clinic and have the alternatives outlined in detail.

How it all fits together in a surrogacy process

1. Case study: genetics, fertility, risks.
2. Plan: choose PNT or MST, or consider egg donation if PNT isn’t a good fit.
3. Embryo creation with PNT.
4. Blastocyst selection (quality, euploidy).
5. Transfer to the surrogate mother.
6. Monitoring of the pregnancy and the baby at birth (as required by regulators).

To understand how Gestlife supports you, check the official websites:

• www.gestlifesurrogacy.com
• www.gestlifesurrogacy.us

An ethical, humane, and direct note

Some see “red lines” in these techniques. And others see lives that can be born without a devastating illness. Ethics are built on data, prudence, and empathy. That’s why the UK and Australia have established strict frameworks (case-by-case licensing, medical indications, follow-up).

In summary (for analysis)

• Surrogacy is the way to carry a pregnancy when you can’t or shouldn’t.
• Pronuclear transplantation puts healthy mitochondria into an embryo that retains your nuclear DNA and that of your partner.
• The data are no longer promises: there are live births and follow-up in countries with specific regulations.
• It’s not magic, nor is it for everyone. But it opens a door that was previously closed.

FAQs (short and clear)

1. Does a baby with PNT have “three parents”?
   No. Only two. The donor provides mitochondria (energy), not physical traits or personality.
2. Is it the same as egg donation?
   No. With egg donation, the baby does not inherit the mother’s genetics. With PNT, it does inherit her nuclear DNA.
3. Can it be combined with surrogacy?
   Yes. In fact, in many cases, it’s the combination that resolves pregnancy when the mother cannot carry a baby.
4. What risks does it have?
   Residual heteroplasmy (a small fraction of altered mitochondria) may remain. There are also technical risks associated with micromanipulation.
5. What are the success rates?
   In the dossier series: ~92% fertilization, ~60% blastocysts, ~47% clinical pregnancy, and ~48% live births, with no genetic abnormalities detected in the reported births. PNT can improve embryonic development when egg energy is limited (age, mitochondria), but each case is evaluated individually.
6. How much does it cost?
   It is more expensive than standard IVF. The dossier reports supplements for PNT, extra oocytes, and PGT; additionally, in fractional plans, these are paid at a specific calendar milestone.
7. Are there healthy babies born with this technique?
   Yes, there are confirmed live births in the UK; in 2025, eight were reported through the NTP program, with positive follow-up. hfea.gov.uk+1 . Also in Ukraine, Albania, and Mexico.
8. Who should I go to for guidance?
   Your family advisor at Gestlife, who can explain the pros and cons in your case and within your legal framework.

You can start here:

• www.gestlifesurrogacy.com
• www.gestlifesurrogacy.us

Sources

• “The pronuclear transplant or “three-parent technique”: a new real hope in surrogacy” – Gestlife – Year 2025.
• “The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015“. — Legislation.gov.uk. — Year 2015, Nº572.
• “HFEA comments on the news that eight babies have been born after mitochondrial donation treatment” — Human Fertilisation & Embriology Authority. — Year 2025.
• “Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law)” — Australian Goverment. Federal Register of Legislation. Act 2022. — Year 2022, Nº 26.
• Eli Y. Adashi, MD, MS; I. Glenn Cohen, JD – “Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy: Unmade in the USA“ — JAMA Network. American Medical Association. — Year 2017, Vol.317,  Nº6.