GENDER / SEX SELECTION

IVF/PGD technique

An 8-celled embryo created through IVF before Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) analysis

What is sex selection?

Sex selection, or gender selection, is any method used to increase your chances of having a child of a specific gender. Every egg contains one X chromosome while sperm contains either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome. When an X-bearing sperm fertilizes an egg, a girl is conceived, and when a Y-bearing sperm fertilizes an egg, a boy is conceived. Typically, you have about a 50% chance of conceiving a male child and a 50% chance of conceiving a female child. Sex selection techniques work to increase the odds in favor of having either a male or female child.

Choosing the sex of your child is technically possible thanks to advances in fertility treatments.

An in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique called PGD/PGS (pre-genetic diagnosis/pre-genetic screening) exists in which embryos are created outside the womb and are then tested for genetic disorders and gender.

We can now know the sex of the embryos before implantation occurs.

When PGD/PGS was first introduced back in 1989, it was used solely to help couples or individuals with serious genetic disorders reduce their risk of having a child who suffered from the same condition. Today PGD/PGS is still used for this reason, but is also used commonly when women are 35 or older and/or have a history of recurrent miscarriage to identify the genetic makeup before conception occurs .

The Delaware Institute for Reproductive Medicine is one of a handful of clinics that offer the technique for gender/sex selection for nonmedical reasons.

How it's done

During an IVF cycle, eggs are fertilized with sperm in a Petri dish. A single cell or cells are removed from each of the resulting 3- to 5-day-old embryos and are tested for gender.

Only those embryos with the selected gender are considered for transfer.

Effectiveness

Almost 100 percent effective!

Contact us to schedule your consultation to explore the option of gender/sex selection!

Sex Selection with 100% Success

It has been known for many years that the sex of your child is determined by the sex chromosome carried by the sperm. Sperm bearing an "X" chromosome, when united with the "X" from the female will result in an "XX" pregnancy that produces a female. If a sperm bearing a "Y" chromosome unites with the "X" chromosome from the female, an "XY" pregnancy will result that gives rise to a male offspring.

These process works by extracting several eggs from the mother after ovarian stimulation, while sperm is provided by the father after ovarian stimulation. A single sperm is used to fertilize the mother's eggs. After fertilization has been determined, the embryos grow for 3 days. Several 8-cell embryos are then biopsied for PGD/PGS. The single cell genetic material is examine for both genetic diseases and desired gender. Healthy embryos of the gender you desire are implanted in the mother. Any additional healthy embryos may be cryopreserved for future use.