Gender Selection Methods: An Overview
In ancient Greece, men used to have sex lying on their right side in hopes of conceiving a son.In medieval France, men would tie off their left testicle in order to produce a baby boy only.Sounds strange and unusual? Maybe, but the desire to choose gender of their baby is still strong among today’s parents-to-be. They just don’t want to rely on the same primitive (an ineffective) methods.Today, there are cutting edge technologies available which can literally allow parents to choose the gender of their baby.Sadly, one of those methods is – selective abortion. Mother can find out the gender of her baby using amniocentesis, and then decide to have an abortion if the sex of the baby turns out not to be what she have hoped to be.This gender selection method is most prevalent in those countries where, historically and culturally, boys were preferred.Fortunately, there are other options for parents eager to choose gender of their baby. None of them free of ethical considerations, though!In mid 1970’s, geneticist Ronald Ericsson, PhD, developed the gender selection method that remains known as Ericsson method.This method sorts between male and female producing sperm and involves artificial insemination. Comparing to other gender selection methods, Ericsson method is not very expensive and invasive – however it possesses lower success rates.The cost is about 2 000 USD per circle. About three times out of ten, this gender selection method fails.Used since 1989, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) method of gender selection involves in vitro fertilization (IVF).Doctors analyze the cells from embryos to determine its sex and consequently, only the embryo of desired gender is returned to woman’s uterus.The cost is nearly 20 000 USD, but it is 100 % accurate.PGD carries high chances of multiples.The newest and most talked about gender selection method is a variation on Ericsson’s method and is best known as Microsort.The statistics show that 86 % of parents who used this methods to conceive, did so for sex selection.The cost is about 15 000 USD, and success rate is about 90 % for conceiving girls, but only 74 % for conceiving boys.Microsort method is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration.Let just add that, while in United States gender selection is currently allowed for both genetic and preferential reasons, many other countries opted to regulate the whole matter much more restrictively.
Gender Selection Ovulation Method
Gender Selection Ovulation Method. You can choose the gender of your baby by knowing the time of ovulation. Time of ovulation can easily be calculated by an ovulation calculator. There are many free ovulation calculators online. Before using them, you would need to know the date of you last period and how long your cycle usually last. Ovulation calculators are only suitable for women with regular menstrual cycles. Once you know the days of ovulation, you can easily select the gender of your baby by following the tips below:
For a Baby Boy,
Time intercourse as close to ovulation as possible: The idea is that since the Y-chromosome sperm are faster than the X-chromosome sperm, there will be more Y-chromosome sperm who reach the egg, making it more likely that a Y-chromosome carrying sperm will fertilize the egg.
Abstain from intercourse for four to five days prior to ovulation. Have intercourse only just at the time of ovulation and just before.
Have intercourse that allows for deep penetration. Doggy-Style is recommended. The idea is that the sperm will be deposited closer to the cervix where cervical fluid is most friendly to the Y-chromosome sperm and where the “boy sperm” are more likely to survive since there is less distance to travel.
Men avoid tight clothes: heat kills off both types of sperm, but will kill off the less protected, smaller Y-chromosome sperm faster, according to Shettles.
Women have an orgasm: Female orgasm increases the alkaline secretions in the vagina that are favorable to the Y-chromosome carrying sperm. Having an orgasm before or at the same time as the male partner is a must.
For a Baby Girl,
Have intercourse 2-3 days before ovulation and avoid intercourse just before ovulation until 2 days after ovulation and when you have peak cervical fluid: The idea is that when you have sex a few days before ovulation, only the X-chromosome “girl sperm” will be left in the female reproductive tract waiting to fertilize the egg when it is released.
Have intercourse with shallow penetration: Missionary or any position that will deposit the sperm slightly away from the cervix, giving advantage to the longer living, but slower X-chromosome-carrying sperm.
Women avoid orgasm: Women avoid orgasm because it makes the vaginal environment more alkaline, and less acidic and is disadvantageous to the X-chromosome “girl sperm”.
