US test parents choose gender for their children

A new clinical trial in the United States will allow couples to choose the sex of the upcoming child , to determine the social effects on the child.

Doctors create embryos for couples to participate in research using assisted reproductive techniques . They then identified the sex of the embryo by a process called pre-transplantation (PGD) diagnosis . Next-generation parents will choose a male embryo or female embryo to implant the mother's uterus.

This process is not new. PGD ​​is also often used to help detect genetic errors. And in about 3% of the thousands of PGD cases that are done in the US every year, parents also choose sex for their children, a study said.

For years, scientists have argued morally, healthily as well as psychological and social influences on these selected children. New testing is designed to determine the impact of sex selection . Scientists will explore the physical health of babies and social impacts in families over time.

According to Nature, the selection of fetal sex has been banned in Britain, Canada and some other countries, at least in part because of community concerns that will lead to sex discrimination.

Researchers spent 9 years applying for a license for this trial, which began last month in Houston. 50 pairs offered to participate, but the team only selected a few couples - those who had one child and wanted another to have opposite sex.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology oppose this sex selection.

But according to Sandra Carson, head of the testing team, the opposition of these organizations "is based on public opinion, not results ". " Public opinion is important, but it should not be used to ban something, " she said.

In an independent survey earlier this year led by Tarun Jain at the University of Illinois, women receiving treatment for infertility said they would choose sex for their child if given the opportunity.

"One of the fears is that sex selection will lead parents to a certain gender," Jain said. "And speculating here is a tendency to like boys. But our research does not prove it. In fact, couples without children do not expect to have more boys than girls."

T. An ( according to LiveScience )