Sex selection for medical and non-medical reasons
Selecting the sex of an embryo before transfer into the uterus is an individual choice. The increasing use of pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) led to an increase in the percentage of cycles in which embryo sex is knowable before transfer. Couples may seek sex selection for either medical or non-medical reasons.
Medical reasons
Sex selection for medical reasons is used to avoid the birth of a child with a severe genetic disorder. Medical indications include:
- To prevent the transmission of sex-linked genetic disorders such as hemophilia A / B, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, Duchenne-Becker muscular dystrophy, Hunter syndrome and others.
- To reduce the chances of having a child affected by a disorder with an unequal sex-incidence (e.g., fragile X syndrome, autism). Parents who are carriers of one of these genetic diseases can choose to have babies of the gender associated with a less severe form of the disease.
- To decrease transmission of disease to a third generation (transgenerational), thereby avoiding a high genetic risk for future healthy children such as the transmission of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) disorders.
Non-medical reasons
Non-medical sex selection is used purposely to select embryos of a specific sex for personal or social reasons. In addition, some patients who elect to screen their embryos with PGT-A may not have anticipated that they would be faced with the possibility of selecting the sex of the embryo that is transferred – a choice that they had not intended on making and that they now must consider whether or not to exercise. The reasons for sex selection for non-medical reasons include:
- The most frequent indication for such sex selection is “family balancing” when one gender is already represented in the family unit and the other gender is desired. In that case, selecting gender can make it easier for a family to feel complete.
- The wish to have the experience of raising children of both sexes.
- This desire for couples who already have more than one child of one sex and who are unwilling to attempt a further pregnancy without assurance that the additional child will be of a specific sex.
- Familial or social reasons.
Arguments supporting the use of sex selection for non-medical reasons
- Patient autonomy and reproductive liberty.
- Parents may believe reasonably that there are differences between the experience of rearing male and female offspring.
Arguments against the use of sex selection for non-medical reasons
- Long-term medical risks of some procedures to offspring are unknown and that, therefore, it is unjustifiable to take any such risks for non-medical reasons.
- Perpetuates sexism with risks of discrimination and perpetuation of gender injustice.
- Might lead to slippery slope towards designer babies.
- Failure to show appropriate respect for embryos.
- May result in significant gender imbalances in the society.
- May be psychologically harmful to children and disruptive of the parent-child relationship.
- May be available only to those with the resources to pay for it.
How we can assist
Dr Antoine Abu Musa and Dr Nicolas Darazi, fertility consultants based in the Middle East, have established experience in dealing with couples seeking IVF treatment for sex selection for medical and non-medical reasons. They work with an expert and supportive team of nurses, care coordinators and counsellors jointly providing tailored fertility care at licensed and state of the art Centres of Excellence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and USA.
All the consultations and nurse appointments are carried out conveniently online, the hormone medications are delivered to your preferred address, whereas the IVF cycle monitoring is arranged close to your home or work place. You are only required to visit the recommended Centre of Excellence for egg collection and embryo transfer.
To enquire and book a consultation with Dr Abu Musa or Dr Darazi please click here.
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