Choosing the sex of one's baby
before the embryo's implanted is acceptable for social
as well as medical reasons. That was the conclusion
of Jerusalem ob/gyn Dr Joseph Schenker at his ISIVF
presentation in Montreal on September 18.
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis
(PGD) sex selection is usually done only when a gender-specific
genetic disorder has been detected. But the controversial
procedure is increasingly being performed for non-medical
reasons, simply so (fertile and infertile) parents can
choose the sex of their child.
Dr Schenker acknowledged that in
countries where boys are favoured over girls, sex selection
— through infanticide, abortion or PGD — has
already led to a worrying gender imbalance. By some
estimates, India's gender ratio now stands at a very
unnatural 130 boys to 100 girls; in China the ratio
is estimated to be 119:100. But Dr Schenker thinks the
imbalance will even itself out eventually, by pure necessity.
He also argues that since PGD is less harrowing for
the mother than abortion or infanticide, it should be
an option.
In Israel, PGD sex selection is
allowed for families with four kids of the same gender.
— Gillian Woodford
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