Stuart A. Newman

About the author: Stuart A. Newman is a professor of cell biology and anatomy at New York Medical College and coeditor of Beyond the Gene in Developmental and Evolutionary Biology.

Genetically modifying human embryos or fetuses, or in utero gene therapy, has been proposed to prevent the onset of genetic diseases and enhance the traits of unborn children. Such procedures present serious hazards to human health. Although the main objection to in utero gene therapy is that it can adversely alter the genes a person passes on to his or her children, the embryo or fetus undergoing treatment and the woman carrying it are also placed at significant risk. For example, failing to manipulate or deliver genes correctly can harmfully affect development. In one experiment, a mouse's...