I believe this is a selfless act and I hope that enough viable eggs survive the cryopreservation.

Ullrich-Turner's Syndrome is only prevalent in haploid (gametic cells) NOT diploid cells (somatic) which are the cells prevalent in your skin and organs which all of your genome is found. Turner's syndrome can not be passed down to offspring; it occurs during meiosis and it is a mutation that results in the genetc disorder.

The type of mutation is a nondisjunction mutation, which the second X chromosome is either not segrated during gametogensis or the short arm of the chromosome detaches and the rest of the chromosome forms a ring structure. This ring structure no longer serves its normal function rendering the egg as a monosomy X.

Samantha - Bio Student, North Andover, MA

Your right Joe. Science and medicine shouldn't meddle with the way things occur naturally. From now on, we'll do away with resuscitation as well - after all, if they died once, then they should stay dead, right Joe?

John, Orlando, Florida

Another example of why IVF is wrong. Although this appears to be done in a loving way and with loving intentions, it does not change the fact that science should not be meddling in creating life. As Pope JPII so clearly discussed in his Theology of the Body, the creation of a child should be between two people, not science.

Joe, Toms River, NJ

I was most shocked at the comment which asked if Turner Syndrome is something girls are normally tested for and then called this mother publicity-seeking. There are physical features which in some girls are noticable at birth, sometimes are not apparent to doctors until girls are several years old, and, as in my daughter's case, are not seen as unusual until teen years. A Turner girl does not get her period and also is short. Growth hormone shots can help to add height. My daughter was very lucky to have her condition recognized in time to take growth hormone shots for several years.

I would gladly have donated eggs for my daughter, but I was already in my forties. We have been talking for years about my Turner Syndrome daughter getting eggs from her sister. That truly is a selfless act of love and any Turner girl should not be made to feel that that child is any less her son or daughter because it is not from her egg, whether from her own family or another donated egg.

Jill, Combined Locks, Wisconsin

to George (oakland CA)
you are so wrong, as others have said, you cannot pass on Turners, it is when something goes wrong in the very early stages of development. it cannot be passed on. how do you get that someone will have Turners in a magniyfed way ? turners girls have small stature and are infertile. please do some research before you comment. it is offensive to those of us who have girls with turners, my daughter is a wonderful young woman does not want to have childern anyway but would probably have made the same life choices if Turners were not invovled.... its all about choices for this little girl.

sally , lincoln,

Wow, to read all of these negative and ignorant comments astounds me. The mother gives up some eggs to her daughter out of love, and people blast it? The eggs are one option - the daughter can choose to disguard them, or she can get others from an egg donor. This isn't medical incest, or genetic tinkering, or any other nonsense. It's IVF, pure and simple, and its a straightforward medical procedure that tens of thousands of people pursue each year.

As for who is the sister / daughter question, do you really think that a 6 year old 20 years from now is going to care about such things? Do you think that she's going to ponder the quandary of "is that my mommy or my sister"?

Give me a break, people. This mom did this out of love for her child, and you should understand this medical option before denouncing it.

After all: "Tis better to remain silent and appear the fool, than to type out your answer on the internet, and remove all doubt."

Stephen, San Diego, US

I am amazed at the ignorance of many of the comments. Turner’s is a heartbreaking ordeal for parents and their daughters. Before you make your sweeping statements, learn more about Turner’s, incest and medical ‘miracles.’

Incest is “Sexual relations between persons who are so closely related that their marriage is illegal or forbidden by custom”. I don’t see where you can even pretend that this loving act is incest.

You say that even though science is able, it should not. Well, I sure didn’t say that when they did my back surgery last year or 30 years ago when my best friends daughter was cured of leukemia. Let’s just stop all of the organ transplants and immunizations and surgery, after all, those are also unnatural, right?

Learn more about Turner’s. There are many factors involved. She will probably never grow taller than 5 feet tall, only about 5% of Turner’s girls have any secondary sexual organs.

Melanie loves her daughter. Good for them!

Dannie, Anaheim, CA, USA

Do your research. Don't judge if you aren't in their shoes. If you knew the definition of incest; there wouldn't even be a discussion about that. Before you post about TS, read up on it first. TS is an accident that happens during conception. Only about 2% of these girls survive pregnancy. These girls are no different than your child with any other problem. They are miracles to begin with. Many have other medical problems to contend with; so when there is something a mother can do to ease their pain, their medical trials...then a good, loving mother will do it! Would you not give your child a kidney? I would. If your child needed blood, would you give it; I did. If your child was born with a heart defect, would you let dr's manipulate science to repair it; I did. TS girls still have hearts! They still play mommy! If my TS daughter could carry a baby, I would do the same. It's the girls decision, but if mom doesnt act now, the girl may not ever get a choice! God Bless this family!

Penny, Memphis, TN

Maybe, people who do not know what they are talking about should, do more research before making judgements. Turner Syndrome is not passed down, the mother is not a carrier of anything. Turner syndrome is a genetic mutation it just happens, kind of like people who have really closed minds, and are opinionated about things they know nothing about.

mom, springfield , il

Theoretically, I think the eggs could be "cored" and DNA from other cells be injected, so the egg structure would only serve as a vessel. I think I have read this being done already in an experiment. Twenty years are a long time, maybe in 20 years the technique works and the girl's DNA could be injected into her mother's eggs (for example, taking DNA from a skin cell), so that the whole debate whether she would bear her "sister" would be moot.

Matt, Wuerzburg, Germany

My daughter also has Turner Syndrome and I think this is amazing. I have been thinking of doing this and am glad someone has taken the first step. The child always can decide that she doesn't want to use the eggs but better to have the option.

Sharna, New York City,

To all of you that advocate adoption in opposition to this "medical incest", I hope that you realize that you are inadvertently supporting casual sex with no true contemplation of consequences. I would prefer that my wife use donor eggs (wherever they come from) as opposed to adoption, as I don't want to raise someone's unwanted mistake. Let your feathers get ruffled all you want, this is statistically where babies put up for adoption come from. Encourage true procreation as close to normal as possible, NOT cleaning up someone else's mess.

brett, dallas, tx

Give me a break!

By your logic, Garth, that means that we shouldn't have adoption or any type of donated eggs/sperm etc. The fact is that there are plenty of people out there who want to raise a family. And there are lots of options to do so if your body isn't able to.

Genetics play a far lesser role in parenting than you are implying. Your mother is your mother whether she used her eggs or someone else's, whether she carried you or you were born of another woman.

Why make such a huge fuss over such a kind gesture?

holly, clearwater, florida

for goodness sake people leave them alone. if you really have something to say, say 'good luck!' to them.

Carolyn, Auckland, New Zealand

While I would never do this myself and am a tad bit creeped out by the situation, I see no problem in it. I would also like to note that this situation would not cause Turners to be passed down due to the fact that it is not genetic and the child would not carry any of her genes.
I think it's very sweet that her mother would do this.

Frances, Pittsburgh,

Parents are constantly surprised - and kept on their toes - by their kids' surprising interpretations of even seemingly ordinary situations.

"Kids say the darndest things!" Their perspectives and interpretations of situations, that seem ordinary and obvious to us adults, can range from the amazing to the amusing....from the insightful to the insane!

It's part of the "joys of parenting", of guiding kids on the journey from birth to adulthood.

For example, how many parents have heard something like:

"Take him back, Mummy! I don't need a baby brother:
You've got ME!"

Now, when you try to explain a new, unusual or EXTRAORDINARY situation to your kid, like divorce, adoption, remarriage, unusual birth/parenting ......!!!! Watch out! You never know what you are going to hear.

Garth Rex, Glendale Heights, USA

Don't be so quick to judge unless you are in their shoes. We are, and I would do this in a heartbeat. I have spoken to my doctors about this for years; but my TS daughter has other medical issues that would prevent her from carring a baby. Grandparents adopt their children's children all the time for one reason or another; why should this be looked at any differently? That baby will know he/she was wanted and loved by many for many years! Oh, to be loved that much! More power to this family and God Bless Them!

Penny, Memphis, TN

Thank you Brian from Iowa Falls, I'm glad someone can shed some educated insight on a sensitive issue. My 6 year old also has Turner's and I am appaled by George from Oakland, Bill Buffington, Mr. Poppypants and others. People are quick to judge when they fear what they fail to understand.

mom, springfield , il

wonderfull story. I think its great

paul, auburn, alabama

I think that the mother made a good choice. She just wants her child to have a future of her own, that she can enjoy. I wish you and your family the best of luck.

Cherrelle, newbern , nc

EW! - in KENTUCKY maybe ..

Eddie Ramsey-Lewis, New Hartford, USA/NY

Many of you have suggested that the daughter should adopt if she wants children. Have you ever tried to adopt a child? It is almost impossible to adopt a healthy infant.

pat, augusta, us

as long as a child is loved and looked after what it is genetically is irrelevant

rob, crediton,

Garth- Are you serious?! How on earth does this situation make Flavie afraid to commit? If a mother is able to donate eggs so that her child may experience the gift of childbearing, more power to them.

Jacilyn, Philadelphia, USA

Something that hasn't been highlighted is that if the girl decides that she doesn't want to use her mother's eggs, she can swap them for ones from a stranger. The donations simply gives her easier access to donated eggs. So everyone can stop saying that potential children will be confused by their mother/sister.

Emily, London, UK

What, exactly, is the problem? Eggs donated by a family member versus a total stranger? At least little Jenny, below, will know where her DNA came from.

"Mummy, who's my real mother?"

"I'm sorry dear little Jenny, I have no idea."

DanO, Mt. Vernon, USA

"My sister, my daughter... Understand, or is that too tough for you?

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Kanagawa

I am infertile due to Turner's Syndrome and would not chose to use donated eggs from my mother if I had the choice. I would not want to give birth to my half sister.

Susan, Eugene, USA

Heather and her husband (the supposed Catholics) are fine examples of the failure of Catholic education today. They have absolutely no grasp of the way egg donation of any kind destroys the dignity of the human person.

Aldous Huxley, an agnostic who leaned towards Hinduism, had a much better grasp of Catholic Faith than most Catholics today. Read Brave New World - we are living it.

Steve Kellmeyer, Plano, TX

Minerva,
Sorry to burst your bubble, but Turner syndrome is a one-time chance type of disease. It happens when one of the X Chromosomes doesn't happen to get into either the egg or the sperm. This results in only having one sex chromosome, leading to problems such as infertility. It's a sort of "luck of the draw"; the other egg or sperm formed in the process will cause the baby to have three sex chromosomes, causing a different set of problems.

Leslie, Cincinnati, USA

Hi George from Oakland,

Please remember the Nazis held the same view. I know it's cold to say so, but it is true.

James Ferrier, Vancouver, BC

This is madness! When are we going to stop meddling with nature?

I don't have any children. It is not the end of the world. I would have loved children. Sadly I miscarried. Not every woman is meant to be a mother. One just has to get on with life. Life was not meant to be easy and we can't have everything we want in this world.

Fertility is a great blessing and women should appreciate their fertility more. The day will come when they can't have children any more due to the change of life. There is a balance in nature and we should respect that balance.

Renee Barrett, Castlemahon, Ireland

There is nothing strange or incestuous about a mother donating eggs for her daughter to have a chance someday at bearing a child. What a gift of love...one that even the child that could-be someday will definitely appreciate.

Anne-Marie, Daytona Beach, FL, USA

Not to make light of the situation, but this very scenario occured on the American soap, " As the World Turns" about 13 or so years ago. Emily received eggs from her mother Susan and then gave birth to her sister Allison.
Looking at the reality of it, it cant be considered incest in the way where there would be defects since the eggs arent hers and they are already fertilized by a non familial man.

Michelle, Dallas, USA Texas

You call this Progress?

Brian Charles Seals, Scarborough, Nth Yorks, England

What an amazing gift this mother has given to her daughter. The fact that the mother has done this, at this time, says volumes about the love, the consideration and the care she has for her daughter. Such qualities are very special indeed.

T. Bishop, London, Uk

The only thing that can make this worse is the IRS getting into it. This kind of stuff is less likely to happen in the US because the tax man would see this as a gift over the limit. Then there would be capital gains to consider. How would the estate of the grandmother pass to the daughter and grand daughter? The courts would have a lovely time with this as well as being perfectly capable of finding several different solutions in several different courts throughout the country.

The availability of eggs has a lot more to do with the cost than the technical problems. If you had the money to invest in a egg donation and just adopted instead, you could end up with a non-genetic related child with a college education.

Danny L. Newton, Cookeville, USA / Tennessee

It isn't incest, which you would know if you had any common sense. The egg will contain the DNA from the mother (since it is haploid), and if it is used by the daughter, the other half of the DNA will come from the daughter's partner -- which unless she has sex with a family member, will be unrelated to her in any way.

Get your facts straight before you condemn. Basic high school biology!

B.U., Binghamton, NY, USA

If you haven't been there, done that, don't comment, God bless the mother and we will pray that things work out for everyone.

John Raskauskas, Talence, France

Being a father of a 2 year old with Turner's, I have a couple of things to say.....

1. TURNER SYNDROME IS NOT GENETIC. For those of you thinking it will be passed on, first do some research. TS is not something you can pass on. It's a freak of nature. About 1 in 2000 or 2500 depending on who you ask and where you look.

2. I think this is a wonderful thing to do. For the past 2 years, I have been wondering how I am going to tell my daughter that she most likely will not be able to have children naturally since roughly 98% of all TS patients have ovarian failure by 13.

3. My daughter starts taking growth hormones in about 1 month because of TS to hopefully add a bit of length to those legs :-) Other than that, she is just like any other child. TS is not a mental disorder. They lack one "X" chromosome which gives girls their lady features as one doctor put it.

I hope by the time my daughter is ready to have children that more means will be available.

Brian, Iowa Falls, IA

How many people were raised by their brother or sister?
Millions Im sure. I see no ethic problem here and I agree with the first poster, we can kill unborn kids and have horrible abusive foster parents, but everyone goes gaga over this?

ll, bay area, ca

To Sarah, England, England

If you read my writing again, carefully and thoughtfully, you will realize that I was NOT, by any means, making fun of the situation.. ...I regret that you have completely misinterpreted my purpose.

Garh Rex, Glendale Heights, USA

There is a problem here! Others have touched on it. It's not moral or ethical. It's scientific. There is a reason the girl is born infertile and that is to breed Turner's disease out of the population. Sorry. I know it's cold. By donating eggs to her and allowing her to continue to breed maintains the disease in the population. By having her mother donate eggs to her increases the likelihood that the baby will have the disease and not only have the disease but have it in a magnified way.

George, Oakland, CA

I'm fine with it ... it's not incest in my opinion ... good for this Mom, I'd do it in a micro minute!

Mel, GA,

Brief note to Anthony: If God had wanted us to mind our own business, He wouldn't have invented the Internet and opinion-pages . . . . that's the darned thing about opinions - someone's always got a different one.

Steve , St Joseph, Missouri, USA

Whilst I'm sensitive to the individuals inbuilt and emotional desire to spawn and I love people in general I'm dubious about the ethics of helping to make yet more humans in an already overburdened world.

Bob, Johannesburg, South Africa

I think this mother is doing something beautiful for her daughter. I can't believe that there are people who would try to criticize her for ensuring that her child has a chance at a normal future. If those that criticize make the choice not to have children, at least they have the choice. This poor little girl would not have a guaranteed chance at that opportunity without the gift of her mother's eggs and I think it is lovely. God bless them and their family.

Lauren , Stockdale, TX, USA

Turner's is caused by chromosomal non-disjunction during cell division and is not something that the girl's mother would be a carrier of.

That being said, I am infertile due to Turner's Syndrome and would not chose to use egg cells from my mother (if the option were available). I am much more comfortable with the idea of adopting.

Susan, Eugene, USA

It is funny to me that Adoption is never mentioned as an option. Just because a child does not have the same genes as their parents ...it makes them no less of a child.

Bob, bobbington, USA/il

The way for Flavie to have a child most nearly genetically similar to one she would have had if she were fertile would be to use an egg donated by her sister, not by her mother.

Of course, having her mother donate is a good back-up plan....

Nigel, New York, NY

I'm sympathetic to the mother's concern for her daughter, but honestly, you can find egg donors elsewhere; I can't imagine that this wouldn't be a weird set-up for both the daughter and the potential granddaughter/daughter. Plus, the girl's only seven, she can't possibly know if she even really wants her mom to do this yet.

Susannah, Ruckersville, VA

It would not be incest unless she naturally conceives with her brother, father or another relative, but since that cant happen... She could even conceive with her father and it would not be a genetic incest since her mother and father are not blood related. It would not even be incest at all if it was not a sexual act of conception even with her father. Anyway, this is not really an ethical question unless you are against egg donation.

Paul, NYC, NY

Does that give the child concieved from the donated eggs twice the chance of having Turner's Syndrome?

Christine in Hayes, Hayes, Middlesex, England

I forsee a new verse to the song "I'm My Own Grandpa": http://gean.wwco.com/grandpa/

Beez, Yorktown, VA, USA

Pure egotism. It disgusts me. Sure, I know it's difficult to find out one is infertile. So what? There are countless children born every day just waiting to be adopted. Why is it so important for people to have their own children?

Simple - people are egotistical and prideful.

Now, not only will some poor children remain in an orphanage because of this woman's actions, her grandchildren will really be...what? her daughter...with her other daughter's husband as the father... What a screwed up world.

Bill, Billtown, USA

I don't there is anything wrong with this. It is a kind gesture for the mother to do .Maybe by the time the daughter is older there won't be a need for the eggs, but I wouldn't bet on it. There is no genetic manipulation going on here, just an egg donor giving to a needy woman. I actually find the woman who CARRY babies for their daughters (surrogates) far creepier than this.......

lj, central , michigan usa

There is more to being a mother than just biology. It's nice that they will have a biological connection but even better that if she chooses to use the eggs she will have the opprotunity for motherhood.

J Davis, Oklahoma City,

Just because somethng IS possible, doesn't mean it should be done. What is the world coming to? Seems to me that science is misusing its "talents"--if it can be called that. I'm sick to death of surrogate eggs and donor sperm. Frankly, I believe it is ill advised at best, If someone wants a child that badly, how about adoption as an alternative?

Diane, Las Vegas, Nevada USA

get a life ludites...the future is now...and this is wonderful that a mother could give this gift to her otherwise unfertile daughter. Many years ago there was a substansial group who feared the those new fangled auto-mo-bills would replace the horse and buggy wip industry....thank god those morons didn't prevail....don't fear knowledge understand it

DK, Milwaukee, WI, USA

To Garth Rex, Glendale Heights, USA,
You obviously have no heart to make fun of this situation. What a cheap shot!

Sarah, England, England

A good idea

Amtoine, Warsaw, Poland

This is the equivalent of her Mother having sex with her son in law, thats why it will be a half-sister, because they didn't freeze an embryo, just an egg. So this girls husband will have to decide if he wants to impregnate his mother in law or not. Sounds like something out of a soap opera!

Scott, Logan, Utah

This is going way over the line...but it seems to be the trend in the world these days! When a child is born out of incest...there's almost ALWAYS some type of medical problems with him/her...whether physically or mentally. Maybe it would be a good idea to find a donor that's NOT a family member!

Grizzly Brown, Toledo, Ohio, USA

What a selfless act and an amazing gift to her daughter!! Donating eggs is NOT a pleasant experience. This is no different than using donor eggs to have a child.

Rebecca, York PA,

I think this furore is a bit bogus. If the eggs were donated by her sister would you still be so worried? You share 50% of your genes with your sister and 50% with your mother. If you have a child with eggs donated by your sister, you are both an aunt and the mother. I really don't think people would be so concerned in that case - in fact, this happens all the time without anyone making a fuss.

On the other hand, with 6.5 billion people in the world, why are we making so much effort to help people to have even more children?

Adrian Bhagat, Nottingham,

I really don't see the problem with this. Her mother's eggs are as close a genetic match as she could get (except for maybe the younger sister the article mentioned), and this seems to be a reasonable measure to have in place for the future. The girl can always decide not to use the eggs, but she cannot decide to use eggs that are never stored.

Adam, Atlanta, GA, USA

Really cool science and an understandable reaction from the mother. All the best to the family and others who suffer from TS.

Craig, Edinburgh,

It bugs when all these doctors call in 40 eleven ethics panels to decide issues like this, but they campaign to keep conscientious objection to politically correct medical matters out. Whenever the matter involves abortion, infanticide, or homosexuality, there's no ethical issue, just advocacy and campaigning. Whenever someone wants to help someone else selflessly, suddenly it's a sticky ethical situation that a bunch of high priced lawyer and self-important academics have to stick their noses into and rule other people's lives in service of a political agenda.

Will, Siler City, North Carolina

I think it is slightly disturbing that medical ethics has reached a stage where it allows medical incest, but does not allow for other pertininent issues such as euthanasia to be developed. However, Garth Rex should definately be more considerate to other's emmotions rather than producing a purile piece of tat to poorly express his opinion.

will thorpe, stamford,

There is much more to parenting than biology. It is how a parent nurtures their child. I'm glad that Flavie will have a choice to have children some day.

Tara, Central Coast, USA

Theresa, and Steve et al.
Your religiion is blinding you from the beauty of where we are, when someone who would not have been able to have her own baby, now can do so (hopefully). I know there are babies to be adopted, but most people want to feel that their life is being extended and that their child is a part of them. Theresa, do you have children? Did you adobt them? How about minding your own business and not worrying about a family in Quebec whom (hopfeully for them) you will never meet. If you belive in God, then surely you must realize that he gave us a brain (and the higher functions of reason and curiousity) for a reason... and maybe this was one of them.

Anthony, Toronto, Canada

Is that a good way to yet again pass on the Turner syndrome? Or is that a non-issue?
If they're not your eggs, why not just get someone else's without these type of problems. Maybe they're just waiting with the eggs on ice for ~10 years so this defect can be eliminated.

Daniel, Ithaca, USA/ New York

"Dr." Roland Fox and the rest of you - Turners is not something you get from your parents, it is a chromosomal mutation. There is no greater risk that the children from the mother's eggs will get Turners.

B. Kind, Washington, D.C.

Good for you mom! Giving your daughter a chance to have children in the case where she can't. I think it's a wonderful gift. Mr Poopy Pants: "Aren't they propogating a genetic defect?" Maybe if it were dad's sperm and daughter's eggs. There wouldn't be an issue if the mother were simply donating to an egg bank. In this case, the bank happens to be owned by the daughter. The daughter always has the choice not to use the eggs, and ... maybe she won't be infertile.

Paula, Washington,

Incest is when the offspring is a product of two people in the same family. Unless the sperm comes from her brother, this is simply an egg donor who happens to be her mother.

I thinks its an awesome idea. If she IS able to conceive, the child may look similar to her as if it were her own egg.

BTW, the origination of the sperm and egg has NOTHING to do with who you mommy and daddy are!

Trece, St Pete, Florida

To all of you who think the wold is coming to an end when people use reproductive medicine: What exactly are you afraid of? I have never understood why this topic keeps being made into something mysterious and sinister.
If I break my leg and doctors can help me to recover, that's good. If someone cannot have a child and doctors help with that, it's just as good. science is there to be used, not feared.

F. Aigner, Vienna, Austria

Why not just adopt whne the time comes?

E.Yap, london, canada

I think it's wonderful - a priceless gift from a mother to her daughter, and her eventual 'grand-daughter'.

Jane, London, UK

I think it is slightly disturbing that medical ethics has reached a stage where it allows medical incest, but does not allow for other pertininent issues such as euthanasia to be developed. However, Garth Rex should definately be more considerate to other's emmotions rather than producing a purile piece of tat to poorly express his opinion.

will thorpe, stamford,

There is no evidence the eggs would survive 20 years of cryopreservation. Furthermore, the mother could be the carrier and 1/2 of the eggs would carry Turner Xs. Furthermore, 1/2 of all eggs harvested this way are too immature to yield normal embryos and they arrest within the first week. (Cryopreservation of drug induced mass-harvested eggs is a ploy by researchers to skirt the law and acquire eggs for embryonic stem cell research. Egg freezing should only be done with the eggs the woman expels naturally each month to avoid putting women unnecessarily through a potentially life-threatening procedure. This process is safer for the woman, less expensive, and yields healthier babies.)

Minerva Schwartz, Warren, Michigan

I think this is a remarkable showing of love and hope for one's child. Those who suggest that this is incest ought to be ashamed of themselves. This gives this young girl an opportunity to bear children she would otherwise be unable to birth.

As for the dramatization of what the later situation might entail, I think that you're blowing things way out of proportion. No different than a child in an adoptive family, there's the possibility that she could raise the child as her own, and perhaps when the child reaches an appropriate age, they could explain the situation, and why decisions were made the way they were.

Robert, Owings, MD, USA

I just cant see how the donation of eggs from the mother is a wise thing to do. It is a terrible mis-fortune that the child has Turner syndrome; but you need to think in the long run as the parent, is this realy going to make my daughter happy or is she going to be more upset in the know that it is not her real daughter? There is always adoption.

Scott Wilson , Dunfermline, Scotland

The doctors were absolutely right. This is an act of love. We live in a constantly changing world and where we are going nobody knows. You can only do what you think is right.

Erick Blair, Los Angeles, USA

I prefer Garth's... what a confused society we make for our kids.

E.Yap, london, canada

What a neat gift! Her mom is giving her the gift of fertility. It will save her a lot heartbreak and worries in the future knowing that she has those eggs if she needs them. It takes the pressure off.

By making this public, her mom might also be able to spread this idea to other moms so that they can give the same gift to their daughters. There are a lot of girls out there who have Turner's Syndrome.

Jennifer, Minneapolis, USA

What a mess we are creating for posterity.

Chris , Austin, Texas USA

In my opinion this is, just as the mother says, only done out of love and will be for the daughter to decide as she gets older. It must be incredibly painful to be infertile and unable to conceive so in my opinion she's only giving her child an option. An egg is an egg, not a person. Nothing incestuous about it in fact.

Diana, London, UK

Of course it isn't incest. It's the closest person genetically to the daughter, and the eggs would be used with someone genetically unrelated. There's nothing sexual involved, the mother is not going to have sex with her daughter's husband. No-one would bat an eyelid if her sister was offering to be a surrogate, that's quite common, as are grandmothers bringing up their young single daughter's children as their own. This is a mother who knows how much having children matters, doing the best for her beloved daughter. Stop acting as though she's some kind of pervert.

Helen, oxford,

Judge all you want, but you people have no idea what it is like to watch you little girl play mommy with her dolls and know that she can never have a child naturaly like all her friends will someday do. you have never had to explain to your six year old bout her "condition" I'll do anything I can to help my daughter to conceive, and you had a heart you'd do the same. Turner's mom.

mom, springfield , il

Don't you people realize:

There is a very good chance the mother has given "faulty" eggs to begin with to her daughter suffering from Turner's Syndrome. Why would you want the risk of another daughter/half-sister suffering the same thing? There are egg and sperm banks for a reason.

Alexander, Coakley, USA

This sort of stuff is just sick. I agree with Steve and I think Garth has written a very example of a possible future conversation between the child and mother.

Evan Bennett, Fort Worth, TX

As her sister Clara Boivin is free of the disorder would it be more sensible for her, when eventually adult, to donate some eggs to Flavie Boivin, than her mother Melanie Boivin who presumably is definitely producing some eggs that carry the disorder? In this way surely the risk may be reduced further if she is a carrier and if not the trait should be eliminated. This would hopefully also sidestep the moral dilemma that worries Larry, from Naples and Garth Rex of Glendale Heights, USA.

Dr Roland Fox, Crowthorne, England

Of all the physiological problems associated with Turner's, you'd think infertility would be the last concern on any rational person's list. But then, I guess the operational word there would be "rational."

biff biffington, bifftown,

I'll plead naivite' here . . . is Turner syndrome something that little girls are normally tested for? If so, this is simply a case of a publicity-seeking, lost-from-reality mother using a willing and eager scientific community; IF NOT, then this turns goulish in a hurry.
And using the term "ethics" in conjuction with medical science is fast becoming a joke. Scientists, by their nature, will do what is possible - not what is ethical.

Steve , St Joseph, Missouri, USA

The seven year old girl could use the eggs of someone else; someone other than her mother (or any other relatives she might have). In that case she (7 year old) will only be a mother as opposed to being mother and sister to her children if she uses her mothers eggs.

Lola, London, UK

The eggs will be created in the fetus by the mother, so...what is the difference? in this case the mother freezes the eggs for later....is almost the same thing.
I do not agree with the comment of Garth, it is so negative!
The girl will be the mother of her child that is all! (the egg comes from her mother) and the eggs that a "normal" woman has was made in the uterus too!
The only difference is that the genetic information of the grandfather is missing that is all!!!!
The new baby will have the genetic information of the mother and the father.
And will be a loved baby, what else do you need?

Ronnie Cartier, Paris, France

Ruth and Steve, dont worry, this is a new spin on the word relative. Just think, your mother could be your sister, your father could be your brother, wait till cloning becomes legal. I wonder what we will evolve to be?? I;m glad I more than half a century, I just pity the animals.

virginia, brisbane, australia

Aren't they just propogating a genetic defect? How bout they adopt and let natural selection run its course, they'll be doing the human race a favor

Mr Poopy Pants, Springville, IL

Like to explain how this is "genetic tinkering"?

It'd be a damn wierd situation to be in for any of the involved, but there's nothing going on that'd decrease the health of the kids, and as far as I can see, nought that is unethical - all the mother's doing is trying to impove the life of her daughter.

Maud, Edinburgh,

"God help us when all this genetic tinkering unravels in twenty years time."

What genetic tinkering? There is no genetic tinkering involved.

The child does not need to be told, Garth. Although I think it's a bit silly of the woman to go to the press with it.

starling, Lancaster,

This Ain't Right.

Mike from Vermont, Grand Isle, Vermont,USA

Once again, the triumph of a truly medical nightmare.
This is about as bad as the notion of extracting ovaries from human female fetuses selected for abortion for a similar motive, in which case the resulting babies (who, ironically, get to be born) will be the offspring of babies who unfortunately were never born. The manipulation and mixing up of human gametes especially among blood relatives by science is unethical and unwarranted.There are so many children who need parents and could be adopted. Who will find a cure for the hubris of science and those who dismiss the vital role of ethics and morality regarding the generative act to pursue goals that are, frankly, selfish? Why, on this very page are Google ads enticing young women to become "egg donors" -"donor" being a misnomer, since they are paid handsomely for their "donation". Nothing is mentioned about the painful procedure and the potential harm involved. We may see repercussions from these attempts to fool "Mother Nature".

Theresa Colbert, Cherry Hill, USA

Good for them, best of luck.

Stephen Bowles, atlanta, USA. Georgia

How is the freezing of a woman's eggs genetic tinkering? They are not changing genes or manipulating any of the genomes. They are merely providing a donor so the child can have a baby.

Tim, Winters,

I'M YOUR MUMMY BUT I'M REALLY YOUR SISTER!"

"OK, Mum! Let's see if I have this straight: You are my Mummmy but you are not my mother. Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes! I'm more..no! I'm actually your half-sister. I gave birth to you, but I'm not your biological mother.
My mother is really your mother."

"Well, is Daddy my Dad?"

"Yes..I think..no! I mean YES! He really IS your dad!
Your Daddy is definitely your Dad!

"But, Mummy! I want YOU to be my mother! I'm all confused. Why can't I have a normal mother just like all the other kids! (Sob! Sob!)."

"Oh, Jenny, darling! Don't cry! You DO have a normal mother! MY mother! I am your Mummy, but I am really your half- sister. Now isn't it wonderful to have a half- sister who loves you just like a mother?"

"Mum, I don't believe any of this! You don't love me! How...how do you expect me to bond with you when you are afraid to commit!?"

Garth Rex, Glendale Heights, USA

I was in the same situation with a (then) 5 year old with Turner's Syndrome and tried to go down the same route in the UK. Unfortunately by that time I was 44 and was told that it was not possible due to age and the likelihood that the eggs would not survive the process. My husband (a Catholic) and I would have had no hesitation in donating the eggs and allowing our daughter to have a genetic connection to any child that she might be fortunate enough to have in the future through this process.
I wish Ms Boivin and her daughter the very best of luck with the eggs and only wish I could have done the same for my daughter.

Heather, London, UK

is this another version of 'medical' incest?

larry, naples, italy

I couldn't agree more with Steve.

Ruth, Nottingham,

God help us when all this genetic tinkering unravels in twenty years time.

Steve, London, UK