I have seen countless movies and TV shows centered around a creature being cloned, but the thought of that happening to something in real life seemed too far-fetched to be true. It turns out, scientists have been doing it for years! This process is more natural than one might think, considering a set of twins are cloned in the womb. There are many possibilities to achieve with cloning such as in vitro fertilization, which can help a woman get pregnant, or ensuring better quality and quantity of things like milk, fur, and meat, or even preventing some species from dying. Scientific studies in this vein provide a better understanding of animals that have gone extinct. Cloning has been a controversial topic since its first experiment, but it can really help to gain a better understanding of humans and animals, as well as benefiting everyday lifestyles by creating access to much-needed materials.
Before getting into the benefits, a clear definition of cloning should be put into place: “Cloning is a technique used by scientists to make exact genetic copies of living things” (National Geographic Society). This can include genes, cells, tissues, animals, and humans. Besides being done in a lab, cloning can be very natural for some species. For example, when certain bacteria reproduce, its offspring is an exact copy of itself. This is common for single celled bacteria (National Geographic Society). Other living things like humans, goats, and sheep experience this quite frequently, as well by giving birth to identical twins, which are two living mammals that share the same DNA.
All around the world, people consume meat and dairy, so there is always a high demand for these products. Cloning livestock is a great way to reproduce animals to meet these desires. Cloning healthy livestock can guarantee safe and healthy food because there will be no change in DNA, therefore leaving no risk for harmful products (“All about Animal Cloning.”). Even after hearing this, people assume cloning animals is still unsafe, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “reaffirmed the safety of meat and milk products from animal clones and their offspring for human consumption” on January 15, 2008 (“All about Animal Cloning”). Because humans have been killing animals for food and fur, this can cause a decrease or even extinction of certain species. To prevent an entire population of animals from disappearing, scientists are using cloning to protect these endangered species by preserving their cells for future use (“All about Animal Cloning”).
Bringing a child into this world is something that many women dream to do. Most couples have the goal of starting a family, and that begins with having a child together. However, many women struggle with getting pregnant and some women are even told it is close to impossible. My mother was in this category of women and was told that it would be very difficult for her to have a child. She was diagnosed with PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome, which can make it extremely difficult to conceive, so she had in vitro fertilization, also known as IVF. IVF is when someone undergoes surgical procedures and medicine to help sperm fertilize an egg. Once the egg is fertilized, IVF will then help the egg be implanted into that person’s uterus (Planned Parenthood). This helped my mother’s mental health greatly because of the satisfaction of her knowing that pregnancy wasn’t impossible. She ended up having me, and I am a completely heathy teenager with no problems concerning how I’ve developed. Being born from an IVF pregnancy puts me in the same category with over 8 million other babies (Thwaites, Annette, et al.). Clearly this method is a great alternative for many families because of its success with childbirth.
Some people may argue that the fertilization of a human egg in a laboratory dish can result in the deformation of an infant by a possibly unsafe method (Wymelenberg). This is misleading because IVF treatment is done in a doctor’s office where everything is closely monitored and sanitary. The person undergoing this treatment will require many blood tests and ultrasounds to make sure they are healthy, and that the process is going according to plan (Kwan, Irene, et al.). There is nothing unsafe about this method if it is done correctly with a doctor. The risks of having a child with birth defects may occur through IVF or natural conception; therefore, there will always be a risk of child defects through any way of getting pregnant.
It is important to remember that cloning experiments are still happening today, and researchers are trying to gain the best understanding of the science behind this technique. Considering cloning is used for animals and humans, everything on this Earth can benefit from it. From farmers and ranchers having healthier livestock, to women and their partners being able to start the family they’ve been dreaming of, cloning is truly one of the best scientific breakthroughs to happen.
Works Cited
“All about Animal Cloning.” BIO Biotechnology Industry Organization, Sept. 2010, www.bio.org/sites/default/files/legacy/bioorg/docs/files/Cloning_onepager.pdf.
Kwan, Irene, et al. “Monitoring of Stimulated Cycles in Assisted Reproduction (IVF and ICSI).” The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 24 Aug. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6464819/.
National Geographic Society. “Cloning.” National Geographic, 19 Oct. 2023, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/cloning/#.
Parenthood, Planned. “What Is In-Vitro-Fertilization (IVF)?” Planned Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/pregnancy/fertility-treatments/what-ivf. Accessed 3 Apr. 2024.
Thwaites, Annette, et al. “Contraception after in Vitro Fertilisation (IVF): A Qualitative Study of the Views of Women Who Have Had Spontaneous Pregnancies after Successful IVF.” Reproductive Health, vol. 19, no. 1, Feb. 2022, pp. 1–15. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01349-2.
Wymelenberg, Suzanne. “New Technologies: The Ethical and Social Issues.” Science and Babies: Private Decisions, Public Dilemmas., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan.1990,www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235272/#:~:text=The%20chief%20moral%20argument%20against,the%20further%20development%20of%20IVF.
