The Power of Three
Chapter one
.. in which a new innovative technique pioneered in Britain has interesting consequences.
"How is she?" John asked.
He looked at his wife with deep concern. She had just returned from a visit to her mother. Last spring her mother had been getting symptoms of a neurological syndrome. A few months ago she had been diagnosed with Huntington's, a disease that can be inherited. John feared for Mary.
"She's slowly dying John, but she says it's her dying wish is to see a grandchild before she goes. John, what if I have it? We can't have children; she won't see any grandchild because I can't take the risk!"
"I don't mind if we don't Mary, you know I love you. I just want you to be happy darling." John tried to make his voice as soothing as he could. "We'll get the best care for your mother and she soon won't mind. She will understand."
"But I want to give you a child John! I don't want to take the test, I don't want to know if I have it, but I know I want to have your baby." Mary sat down at the kitchen table and put her head in her hands.
"Then we'll have one dear, shall we?" John came up and gently took her hands in his. He knelt down beside her. "Look, there are new innovations all the time. An old colleague of mine runs a fertility clinic. Shall we go and find out what our options are?" He stood up and looked down to her, lifted a hand to her hair to brush it from her eyes. "Don't worry love, we will find a way."
...
The Angel of Islington Fertility clinic was imposing in the extreme. Glass walls, some of them festooned with stained glass illustrations, were everywhere, looking out over the city of London. Bustling efficient nurses went to and fro, while the receptionist with a false smile took their details. Mary stood holding her husbands hand nervously as the doctor came out and greeted them. She ushered them into a bright pleasant office. John shook her hand warmly and introduced his wife.
"Angela, this is Mary, my wife. Angela was my registrar at 'Bart's with me when I was a junior in the Obs & Gynae ward. Now she runs this clinic and she is one of the best fertility doctors in London."
The doctor motioned them to sit, smiling warmly at Mary and looking speculatively at John. "It's quite a long time since I saw you, Dr Watson. It's good to see you again."
John opened the conversation with some polite chit-chat and after they had caught up, started to explain the reason for their visit. Angela listened to their story with sympathy and understanding.
"Yes," she began, "there are several options you can take. Normally, you may find it's quite expensive to have IVF here with a donated egg, but I have several trials undergoing in this area and if you meet the criteria you won't pay a thing. I am particularly exited about this new series of trials which could mean that the baby you have can still have some of your DNA."
"Really?" Mary asked, wide eyed. John could see hope blossoming in his wife's heart and he felt glad he had brought her. The terrible cloud hanging over her life seemed to lift from her heart as she concentrated on what the doctor was saying.
"So, these series of trials involve taking an egg from you and replacing the nucleus inside with a different one from another gamete and then fertilizing it with your husband's sperm. That way, your baby still has your mitochondrial DNA, which is part of your genetic makeup but will not carry the defect that causes Huntington's."
"So the baby will be still part of me?"
"Yes and more in tune with your body when you are carrying. These trials are very new and you will be one of the first people in the country, in fact in the world, to have a baby produced by three people." Angela leaned back to gauge their reaction.
"Can we do this John?" Mary asked.
"Yes dear, if you want to." He took her hand in his. She gave him a tentative smile. He looked at Angela.
"Can we choose the third person, the one you take the nucleus out of the other egg from, the donated one?"
"Yes," she replied, "whomever you like, so long as they are willing to be tested. The legalities of this procedure are not quite up to dealing with three parents yet. There are three trials, one using a donated egg, one using an egg from a close relative of the potential mother and one using the nucleus from sperm."
"What?" John asked, incredulously.
"Yes, I know, amazingly, the zygote nucleus that is introduced into the mother's egg does not actually have to come from another egg at all. So long as it is suitable, it may just as easily be taken from spermatozoa."
"John?"
Mary looked at her husband who had suddenly gone quiet. "Isn't that something? To think this can be possible! But of course I don't want that, how ridiculous would that be? Anyway honey, I have a headache with all this. Can you sign up and choose the third person? I don't want to know about that part of it."
"Right, Mary -you are sure about this? Leaving it up to me? "
"Of course, just don't tell me is all, I will see you at home. Got some shopping to do anyway. "
She got up, kissed her husband on the cheek and then left. John turned to Angela. His eyes grew slowly darker.
"I've got someone in mind." He said.