So…you’re trying for a girl/boy this time?

Anyone who already has at least one child at home is frequently asked "Are you trying for a _____?" And, if you’re a parent who has more than one child and they’re all one sex, you definitely are going to get that question.

I’m not about to say that I never wished for a specific sex for my children. When I was pregnant the first time, I thought it might be easier for me to have a girl simply because I was one myself. I got a boy. The second time, I hoped for a girl because I already had a boy, and I got a girl. The third time, I thought it might be good if I had a boy, that way, my daughter would not only be a middle child, she’d be the only girl, perhaps giving her a special spot – in her mind. I got a boy. Now, I can’t imagine my family being any other way. I love them all and I love the order they’re in.

My guess is that most parents are like me. Although there may be a slight hope for one sex, we’re perfectly happy with what we get – a baby. But there are some women (and men) who feel so strongly about having one sex over the other, that they’re willing to pay out big $$ to get what they want.

Gender selection is illegal in many countries. In some places, ultrasounds to determine sex may only be done for medically related reasons, not for sex identification because of the overwhelming abortion of female fetuses. Of course, that doesn’t stop many unethical people, but the laws are on paper.

Turkey is one country that forbids sex selection, but while it may be forbidden (on paper), the practice is so open, that doctors and nurses from one institution in Turkey travel to the United Kingdom to find clients who are willing to come and pay for their in vitro fertilization (IVF) and sex selection. In fact, they advertise that you can go there for a 2-week get-away and return home refreshed – and pregnant – with your friends none the wiser. How is this possible? With IVF and a type of embryos screening called Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD).

According to the article, Parents queue to select baby gender, PGD is a test that is used to determine a baby’s sex in order to rule out genetic diseases. For example, there are fatal diseases that only affect boys. But, some countries have picked up on the PGD in order to make some money for parents who are desperate to even out their family or, if they’re only having one, having their choice of a boy or a girl.

There is so much wrong with this picture that it’s alarming. One big thing is that the particular clinic mentioned, implants 3 embryos. This is against many fertility recommendations now, because of the overwhelming number of multiple births. Experts in the UK are recommending  not even 2 be implanted, although it can and is done. Two is the most that can be implanted in the UK. Then comes the next so-wrong thing: If all 3 embryos "take," the parents can opt to abort two of them.

But, there are those who say, "hey, if the parents have the money and the inclination to do such a thing, that’s their right." So, is gender selection, or sex selection, something that will be coming to a country near you some time soon? Or is this something left best untouched? What do you think?

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