A couple from Ireland have become the first in the world to undertake a procedure to ensure that their unborn baby is not the carrier of a rare genetic condition known as mucolipidosis.
The couple underwent a procedure in an attempt to ensure that their unborn child will not suffer from mucolipidosis, a disease which sees many sufferers not survive past childhood.
According to reports, both of the parents are carriers of the gene and the procedure, known as PGD or pre-implantation genetic diagnosis – checks the genes of the embryo to see if the baby is affected by the condition.
The couple are due their baby in March and it is believed that the baby will now be born unaffected by the condition.
The procedure was carried out at the Cork Fertility Centre.