Friday, March 22, 2019

A Genetic Mutation in the Khoe-San People of Africa Reduces Complications in Pregnancy

The Khoe-San people of Africa, a group that was thought to have broken off from other tribes 100,000 years ago, have been shown to have a genetic mutation in the formation of their placentas. This gene variant alters the size of placentas of mothers so that placentas are larger. This leads to healthier babies, and reduces the chances of the congenital disease pre-eclampsia, which can be fatal. It is therefore said by scientists that the Khoe-San people of Africa have developed a genetic mutation that reduces complications in pregnancy

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I believe that such a genetic mutation is amazing news for the Khoe-San people. One might believe that genetic mutations can usually cause so much harm to individuals if they come to negatively affect a bodily function, however this mutation in particular is good news. This genetic mutation leads to healthier babies, and can reduce the chances of complications in pregnancy, which is particularly helpful for tribe people who may or may not have proper medical services nearby. This genetic mutation is also good news because hopefully scientists will be able to ascertain the reason behind this mutation, and in time, be able to simulate it in order to reduce pregnancy complications in the future.

1 comment:

  1. Great article and great discovery! This could be extremely helpful to women who hare pre determined for high risk pregnancies and issues such as preeclampsia. Further research and studies must take place but it will be interesting to see if they are able modify the gene variant in other pregnant women.