A large section of people is interested in choosing the sex of their baby. If you are willing to know whether it is possible to choose the sex of your baby, the answer is ‘yes’. Technically, it is possible to choose the sex of your baby, but the process involves high costs. Developments in fertility treatments enable doctors to choose the sex of your child. They can identify the embryos as male or female. Parents often want to choose the sex of their child, for family balancing. In case you are having a son, you may be willing to get a daughter. In these cases, choosing the sex of your child becomes necessary.

If you are interested in determining the sex of your baby, you need to adhere to certain clauses. You can approach a fertility clinic to know the sex of your baby. Firstly, it is necessary to be married in order to undergo the test. Besides, certain fertility clinics come up with strict requirements. In most of the cases, the parents need to have a child of the opposite sex they are craving for.

How can you choose the sex of your baby?

You can choose the sex of your baby through the infertility treatment methodology. Two other types of techniques used in the process are in vitro fertilization (IVF) and Artificial insemination (AI). However, these treatments involve substantial expenses and time requirements.

 The most common method used to choose the sex of your baby is intrauterine insemination (IUI). In this technique, a thin tube is used to insert the sperm into the uterus directly. It may also be necessary to take certain fertility drugs.

If you choose IVF, the fertilization takes place externally. The process starts with taking fertility drugs that stimulate the ovaries. They produce eggs for fertilization. Instead of a single egg that they produce each month, the ovaries produce multiple eggs as an effect of the drugs. When it’s time for the eggs to get retrieved, the doctor inserts an ultrasound probe into the vagina after giving an anaesthesia to the individual. This enables them to check the follicles and ovaries. Then a needle is inserted through the wall of the vagina and the eggs are removed from the follicles.

Then the doctors use a petri dish to fertilize the eggs with the sperm. After an interval of three to five days, the fertilized eggs turn into embryos. These are inserted into the uterus with a thin tube. According to the age of the individual, the doctors determine the age, the reproductive history and quality of embryos of the individual.

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGD)

 Preimplantation genetic testing is a technique that can be conducted during IVF in order to remove 1 or 2 cells for testing of an embryo. It helps the doctors to determine chromosomal or genetic disorders. This test can be of two types, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). In PDG, parents who have serious disorders in their genetics can test their embryos and cut down the risks of having a child with the same disorders. In PGS, parents who are likely to have a normal chromosomal count get tested for diseases in the chromosomes, like Down Syndrome.

 Pros of IVF

• PGS and PDG are two of the most effective ways to assure that the parents will have the baby of the sex they want.
• After the PGS and PDG cycle, the remaining embryos can be frozen. This can be done for both the sexes. In case of miscarriage, these can be used in future. Parents willing to have more children can also use these frozen eggs.

Cons of IVF

• The process is extremely expensive, where a single round of test can cost you at least $20,000.
• It can cause pain when the eggs are being removed from the ovaries.
• The side effects of fertility drugs may lead to discomfiture. The individual may experience bloating, weight gain, blurred vision and swelling.

 IVF cycles are successful in women younger than 35 years of age. As the age increases, the percentage decreases. The individual can discard, freeze or donate the unused embryo for research or adoption.