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Updated: Jul 29, 2026

An In Vitro Approach to Study Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Cybrid Model
Published on: March 9, 2022
'Yes' to mitochondrial replacement techniques and lesbian motherhood: a reply to Françoise Baylis
César Palacios-González1, Giulia Cavaliere2
1Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Abstract:
In a recent paper - Lesbian motherhood and mitochondrial replacement techniques: reproductive freedom and genetic kinship - we argued that lesbian couples who wish to have children who are genetically related to both of them should be allowed access to mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs). Françoise Baylis wrote a reply to our paper -'No' to lesbian motherhood using human nuclear genome transfer- where she challenges our arguments on the use of MRTs by lesbian couples, and on MRTs more generally. In this reply we respond to her claims and further clarify our position.
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