Fertility doc backs off on custom kids

A New York fertility doctor says he will be limiting his genetics work to dodging diseases rather than customizing physical traits such as hair and eye color.

Dr. Jeff Steinberg caused a stir this week with claims that he could help parents predetermine various characteristics of future offspring but the New York Daily News said Wednesday he is holding off for the time being.

"We are going to limit it to people with genetic diseases because we just cannot keep up with what's going on," Steinberg said.

Steinberg's clinics in New York and Los Angeles will be focusing on such disorders as color blindness and albinism, the newspaper said.

The Daily News said word of Steinberg's ability to select embryos with desirable physical traits and gender appalled some New York parents while others thought it was a great idea.