Prenatal gene therapy: can the technical hurdles be overcome?

Fifty years ago, a medical breakthrough in the prenatal diagnosis of geneti c disorders was made with the introduction of amniocentesis. Until recently , there was little hope that diseases diagnosed in utero could be treated b efore birth. today, prenatal gene therapy is emerging as a new concept for treating pre- and postnatal manifestations of genetic diseases and developm ental disorders. Research studies have generated a degree of optimism by de monstrating the feasibility of fetal gene transfer. Nevertheless, enthusias m is tempered by the considerable technical and ethical Issues raised by su ch studies. Undoubtedly, the future of prenatal gene transfer as a therapeu tic approach for birth defects mostly depends on addressing and overcoming these concerns.