People use gender selection primarily due to the balancing of family in the modern nucleus family. But there are many other reasons for gender selection, like cultural, economic, and social issues. As a result, Gender selection IVF has become one of the trending fertility options even if it has many social, ethical, and legal considerations.
What is gender selection?
Each human embryo has either XX or XY chromosome pairs for gender determination. The embryos with XX chromosome pair become female, while the other type becomes male. This is a 100% natural process. Although there are slight variations, the possibility of having a baby boy to a baby girl is 50%.
The natural gender selection process may not give the expected gender to your baby. So there will be a lot of social, cultural, and even economic issues related to the failures of natural gender selection.
These are some issues related to the natural gender selection process.
- Some couples get many babies of the same gender.
- Issues related to gender-based illness.
- Some couples go for abortions as they do not get a baby with their preferred gender.
New methods of gender selection without IVF
IVF is not a very common method used in each pregnancy. It is mainly used as a fertility treatment option. But for many reasons, couples try to go for gender selection with some scientific techniques for gender selection like “Shettles method“. In such methods, you can have a gender selection without IVF.
However, the success of the settles method is around 60 -70%. Therefore Shettles method for gender selection is not 100% accurate method. You have to understand the risk of not having a baby with the preferred sex too.
8 Shettles Method Success Stories: 90% Of Couples Got Success In Their Preferred Gender
Importance of Gender Selection IVF
We often have to perform In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) for couples with infertility issues. Even though it is not the first option in fertility treatments, many couples have to undergo the IVF process. Because IVF is associated with very complex fertility technologies. Additionally, IVF is a very costly process. However you can try some non invasive fertility techniques like ovulation induction, home insemination before considering an IVF.
When we perform an IVF, we have a significant amount of control over the baby’s issues. Especially due to the availability of “Preimplantation genetic testing,” the fertility doctor controls the future baby.
Most importantly. Preimplantation testing is for avoiding the chromosomal defects of the future baby. This testing includes major chromosomal issues like Down syndrome, congenital heart defects, neural tube defects, etc.
At the same time, it allows your fertility consultant to avoid any gender-based illness. So gender testing of the future baby is crucial in this situation.
Eg: Hemophila
However, it also gives parents and the fertility doctor a chance to decide the gender of the future baby. For example, you will be able to choose the gender of the baby if you have a few embryos with a different sex. This is the basis of the gender selection IVF.
Why is the Gender Selection IVF necessary?
Although gender selection IVF is becoming a trend, it is an optional process in routine In Vito Fertilization.
The most crucial consideration of gender selection IVF is avoiding gender-related genetic issues.
In addition, suppose you have only one chance to have a pregnancy. The technique of gender selection allows you to choose the gender of your baby.
Is it okay to perform a gender selection IVF?
Even though gender selection IVF is currently in practice, many people have different thoughts. We must consider ethical, legal, and social aspects before performing a gender selection IVF.
The most commonly used criteria for gender selection IVF is “family balancing”. But it is not ethically or legally accepted criteria for gender selection expect some situations. Unless you have a gender-based chromosomal illness, many countries do not allow you to gender selection.
Crucial points regarding the gender selection IVF
1. Gender Selection IVF is the best way to avoid gender-based illness.
There is some illness carried in the X or Y chromosomes. If you transfer these chromosomes to your baby, they also get the condition. Therefore you can try the gender selection at the time of the IVF.
E.g., the Hemophilia gene is always carried by females. The gene that causes the disease is in the X chromosome. So if you have a baby girl, she would either work as a carrier of the illness.
2. Gender selection IVF is the best way to have a baby with the preferred sex.
As mentioned, the natural ways of gender selection are not always accurate. So if you try gender selection without IVF, there is atleast a slight chance of having a baby with the other sex.
In such situations, you may have to wait a few more years to have a baby with the preferred sex. It is a waste of your fertile years.
Therefore if you need to have a baby with selected sex, you need to perform gender selection IVF.
3. Gender Selection is not an easy decision.
Suppose you are going to perform an IVF and get two embryos. One is a male embryo, and the other is a female embryo. What would happen to the female embryo if you had to select a male embryo?
Sometimes you have to dispose of the unused embryo. So is it not an easy decision to allow the disposal of one of your embryos even if it is different from the selected one.
You would not tolerate some emotional issues related to selecting one embryo from another.
4. Gender selection IVF is not ethical and not legal
Usually, we process a few embryos for each IVF. So we can select one or two of them for the implantation process. Although it is generally performed in some centres, there are many legal and ethical restrictions on intrauterine insemination.
Although it is legal to remove unused embryos, it is not permitted to use these embryos for gender selection in most countries.
Does the USA permit Gender Selection IVF?
Although many countries are not allowing to perform gender selection as a legal process, you can do it in the united states. You can visit Law and bioscience blog for some details on legal aspect of gender selection.
5. Gender selection may create unnecessary social conflicts
Gender selection is not always based on individual preferences. Sometimes you may have to follow some social and cultural issues too. For example, some Asian countries have problems with dowry when you have a daughter, so they prefer a boy. They may create an unnecessary increase in the male population in a country.
What is the cost of Gender selection IVF?
IVF is always a very complex process. It needs a lot of complex technologies. Therefore it costs a lot of money. This includes the processing of embryos, preimplantation sampling and many other fine technologies. So the average cost for a Gender selection IVF is around 15,000$. However, if you are lucky enough, you can also have some coverage from your insurance.
What is the best way thing to do the remaining embryos after an IVF?
As I mentioned, IVF is always an infertility treatment. So if you fail to conceive once, you may fail to conceive naturally next time too. So you can keep embryos for a few IVF attempts. If you were lucky enough, you would complete the pregnancy with 1st embryo, But if you miss the pregnancy, you have a few more embryos to try too.
Additionally, you can keep your embryos for your subsequent pregnancy. It will reduce the cost of IVF next time.
But you can donate the remaining embryo to another couple with difficulties getting pregnant.