News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Gay couples could one day have their own biological children carrying traits from both parents, according to new research.

A reproductive technique yet to be tried on humans would be able to use sperm from two fathers, or eggs from two mothers, to create offspring related to them both.

Such a breakthrough could even lead to 'multiplex parenting' with groups of more than two, or children created by just one parent.

IVG (in vitro gametogenesis) sees sex cells called gametes, sperm from the male and eggs from the female, derived from stem cells.

The method is most advanced in mice but studies suggest, whilst not yet advanced enough on human cells, IVG for reproduction may one day be possible.

(Image: Getty)

At the moment egg donation and surrogacy allow two gay men to have children genetically related to one partner and the egg donor, but not to both.

It is the same dynamic for lesbians and sperm donors.

But Professor Sonia Suter said what distinguishes IVG from current assisted reproductive technology (ART) is it would allow same sex couples to bypass donors.

Read more :

For example, sperm or eggs of the opposite sex could be derived from an individual's cells.

This in combination with a naturally derived sex cell from the other member of the couple could be used to produce an embryo.

(Image: Getty)

Prof Suter, of George Washington University in the US, said: "With IVG, same sex couples may be able to have children who are biologically related to both of them.

"In addition, IVG could facilitate 'multiplex' parenting, where groups of more than two individuals (whether all male, all female, or a combination) procreate together, producing children who are the genetic progeny of them all.

"And finally, single individuals may be able to procreate without the genetic contribution of another individual, what I refer to as 'solo IVG'.

"IVG also presents the possibility of 'perfecting reproduction', by greatly improving the ability to screen for undesirable diseases or even traits."

As enormous developments are necessary before it could be used in humans, Prof Suter added "the ethical dilemmas about when and how such research should be done will be enormously challenging".

(Image: Rex)

As well as same sex couples several other groups could benefit including those who cannot conceive for physical reasons and post menopausal women.

Prof Suter also discusses the implications of 'perfecting reproduction' with IVG.

She explained: "IVG could play a role in efforts to have a healthy or enhanced child" by making prenatal selection "much easier and more robust."

It could, for example, be used to create many more embryos for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis than we can today, vastly refining selection ability.

Read more :

But perhaps most crucial to the future use of IVG are the potential risks of the procedure.

Added Prof Suter: "We have minimal knowledge about the implications.

"The only way to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of these techniques in humans is to use in vitro gametes (sex cells) to try to produce viable offspring in controlled settings - when and if we deem it sufficiently safe to do so."