You probably know someone who would desperately like to have a girl or a boy. A couple may have several children of one gender already and would like to have a child of the opposite gender. Another couple seeking infertility treatment may already have one child and wants their next child to be the opposite gender. This has become common as today’s families are generally smaller in size. Another couple may consider gender selection to avoid passing one of over 500 gender-linked genetic diseases to their child.
Couples may want a method of gender selection that offers an almost 100% chance of obtaining the desired gender. To achieve this, IVF can be used in conjunction with embryo testing (preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD) where only embryos of the preferred gender are placed back in the uterus. PGD is where one or two cells are removed from early embryos. Then we perform DNA-based genetics analysis in highly specialized laboratories. This takes about 24 hours, and couples can select which embryos they will use. If pregnancy results, there is almost a 100% chance the child will be the desired gender. This method is particularly helpful for couples where the risk of having a male child with an X-linked genetic disease is significant.
Some people frown upon using available medical and financial resources for gender selection, claiming it may distort the ratio of gender in society. As long as couples are willing to pay for the services themselves and not rely upon third-party payers for reimbursement, these technologies should be readily available to them. During any given year at Reprosave, we maintain a logbook and try to keep requests for a specific gender at 50:50 to avoid being accused of interfering with nature’s balance in society. Currently using IVF with PGD and then only replacing those of the “desired” gender affords nearly 100% certainty in gender selection.
