Connor Levy made history when he was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in May, but not because he was created through in vitro fertilization. Rather, he is the first child to be born after his parents screened the genomes of a batch of their embryos for abnormalities, in an effort to pick the healthiest for implantation.
The technique might increase the number of successful pregnancies from IVF. And although the researchers involved in Connor's case stopped short of actually sequencing the boy's genome, his example is proof that this can be done — potentially ushering in an era of designer babies.
The parents of Connor, Marybeth Scheidts and David Levy, turned to the technique after three attempts at intrauterine insemination. The couple finally opted for IVF, which produced 13 embryos, seven of which looked normal.