Is It Possible to Choose Your Baby’s Sex

Having a baby is a wonderful thing, and almost every couple looks forward to it with excitement. Whether a couple wants a boy, or a girl is an individual matter. Some people can’t resist the thought of holding a little girl in their arms, while others long for a boy to brighten their lives. However, just wanting something doesn’t automatically mean that that is going to happen. What sex your baby gets has always been out of the control of every parent. However, with the advances in modern science and technology, is it possible that now parents may be able to increase the chances of having a boy or the odds of having a girl?

Trying To Conceive- Can You Choose Your Baby’s Gender?

Technically, parents can have more say in the sex of their child. This can happen through fertility treatments in which doctors can identify which embryo is male and which is female. While this may sound like a great thing, it is best to be aware that these treatments are very expensive, they are not all equally accurate, nor are they available to everyone.

There are often two types of people who are most interested in having more control over the sex of their baby. Those who do not want to pass down genetic disorders that are sex-linked down to their children are one type. For example, as epilepsy occurs more in boys, parents in whose family this disease runs may want to know how to conceive a girl.

The second type of couple most likely to want to control the sex of their child is the couple that is interested in family balancing. This is where parents try to have one child of each sex to bring about balance in the family unit. Here, a couple who already has a girl may want to find a plan for a baby boy.

There could be many other personal reasons why a couple may want to have one sex or the other, but for whoever is interested, there are a few things to keep in mind. Be aware that the most accurate of the treatments often cost more than ten thousand dollars, making the treatment very expensive. To add to the cons, the treatments are also often invasive, and the medications have the potential to come with unpleasant side effects.

If you are still interested in trying for the sex of your choice, then researching the different options available will be the best way to start.

Baby’s Sex Selection Methods- High Tech

The high-tech sex selection methods are ones where you need to make up your mind to spend a lot of time and invest a lot of money. These methods use the most advanced scientific technology, medication, and methods to help you get what you want. The two we will be discussing here are the In Vitro Fertilisation method and the Ericsson Method.

1. In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)

In Vitro Fertilisation is a common fertility treatment, but it can also check the sex of your baby.

What Is It

In Vitro, Fertilisation involves a method where the mom-to-be will need to take fertility drugs to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Usually, the ovaries produce only one egg. The eggs will then be retrieved by the doctor from the walls of the uterus and taken away to be fertilized with sperm. This takes place in a petri dish. After a few days, once the egg has been fertilized and an embryo has formed, the doctor will then place the embryos into the uterus.

How It Is Done

During IVF, there is a procedure called Preimplantation Genetic Testing. Here, a couple of cells will be removed from the embryo and tested for chromosomal or genetic disorders that may have been passed onto the fetus. Two tests are run at this time. They are Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (HPGD) and Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS). Both tests will also be able to check the sex of your baby.

Accuracy And Effectiveness

This procedure is almost 100% accurate when it comes to determining the sex of the embryo. If you want to get pregnant with a boy scientifically, this is the option to pick.

Cost 

The treatment to screen for and influence the sex of the child through IVF costs approximately $20,400.

Advantages 

• One of the biggest advantages of this method is that it guarantees almost 100% that you will have a baby of the sex that you want. So, if you have desired to get pregnant with a girl, you will be able to.
• The eggs that are not getting implanted immediately can be frozen for future use.

Disadvantages

• It is a very expensive procedure.
• The method is intrusive and can be very painful.
• You have a high chance of having multiple births.
• There is a possibility of suffering from side effects from fertility drugs. These include bloating, blurred vision, swelling, and weight gain.
• The unused embryos will need to be dealt with. You can choose to freeze them, donate them to another couple who wants a baby, discard them or even donate the embryos to research.

Availability

Not all medical centers will be willing to perform this procedure simply for selecting the gender of your choice. Instead, they do it solely for medicinal purposes. You will need to call the different hospitals in your area to check which facility will be willing to accommodate.

2. Ericsson Method

If you are looking for how to have a girl or how to have a boy without doing through as much expense and pain as you would with the IVF method, this is another excellent option for you.

What Is It 

The Ericsson Method involves Artificial Insemination (AI). Here, sperm is manually placed closer to where fertilization takes place using a catheter. During this method too, fertility drugs may be needed. The Ericsson Method involves the sperm that produces boys and the sperm that produces girls to be separate. Sperm that produces boys often swim fast as compared to the slow-moving sperm that result in girls.

How It Works 

A sample of the sperm is poured onto a layer of gluey fluid that awaits inside a test tube. When the sperm is placed inside, all of them will start swimming downwards. The sperm that will eventually produce boys reaches faster than sperm that eventually produces girls. Once the sperm has been separated, the sperm of choice, either male-producing or female-producing, will be artificially inseminated into the uterus.

Accuracy And Effectiveness 

If you are wondering how to make sure you have a boy, you will be interested to know that this method seems to have a higher rate of success when it comes to producing boys. The statistics show that it is around 78 – 85% accurate in this case. For girls, the percentage is lower, showing 73 to 75% success.

Cost 

The price of the Ericsson method is much less, standing at an average of $600.

Advantages

• When compared to IVF, this method is much more budget-friendly.
• The procedure is not very intrusive, and it is safer.

Disadvantages 

• The success rate of this method is lower as compared to IVF.
• Getting pregnant through this method may take a few tries as it does not always take place the first time. This will depend on your age, health, and other factors.

Availability

Ericsson Method is available in New York, New Jersey, California, Maine, Florida, and Michigan.

Gender Selection Methods- Low Tech At-Home

If you already have a little girl and want to make a baby boy naturally, these methods are low-tech and easy for anyone to do. The same goes for those who want baby girls. You can do these techniques at home. They are non-invasive, making them more comfortable. The main thing you need to do here is to keep track of your basal body temperature. You can also use an ovulation kit so that you can be sure of when you are ovulating. In these home techniques, the timing of sex makes all the difference.

1. Shettles Method

An easy method for selecting the sex of your baby.

What Is It 

This theory says that since sperm that produces males moves faster, and female-producing sperm moves slower, sex should be timed according to what sex you want.

How It Works 

Since the faster-moving male-producing sperm is bound to reach the egg in a shorter amount of time, sex should be had as close to ovulation as possible. For those who want girls, you should have sex a couple of days before your ovulation period.

Accuracy And Effectiveness

This method claims to have 80 % success for boys and 75% success for girls.

Cost 

This method does not cost much. At most, you will need to purchase an ovulation kit.

Advantages 

• This method is safe.
• It does not involve complicated and painful medical procedures.
• Very cost-effective.

Disadvantages 

• The rate of success is not very high.
• If you do not chart your basal body temperature correctly, it will not work.

Availability 
Anyone can try this method in the comfort of their home.

2. Whelan Method

This is a very safe method you can try at home for selecting the sex of your child.

What Is It

The Whelan method is different from Shettles Method as here it is believed that it is the changes that take place in the biochemical make-up of the body that is most likely to result in boy-producing sperm occurring earlier on in the ovulation cycle.

How It Works 

If you want to have a boy, you should have sex at least six days before ovulation. For girls, you should have sex at least three days before ovulation.

Accuracy And Effectiveness 

This method claims to be 68% successful for boys and 56% for girls.

Cost 

Other than the cost of an ovulation kit, this method does not cost anything.

Advantages 

• The cost involved with this method is low.
• This is safer than high-tech methods.

Disadvantages 

• The rate of success is low.
• If you do not chart your ovulation cycle accurately, it may not work.

Availability 

Anybody can try this method at home.

3. Baby’s Sex Selection Methods- Sex Selection Kits

Sex-Selection kits are made based on the theory put forth by Shettles. They come in handy for some parents who are trying to get a baby of the sex of their choice.

What Is It

These kits contain everything you will need to track the conditions of your body so that you can determine the best time to have sex. You get separate kits for boys and girls. Inside, you will get ovulation sticks, a thermometer, herbal extracts, vitamins, and douches that are said to favor particular sex.

How It Works 

The thermometer and the ovulation sticks are meant to help you track your ovulation. You will need to pee on the stick in the same way you would a pregnancy test. You can take the vitamins as they are said to help boost the odds of getting a baby of the sex you want. The douche is supposed to help in changing the environment in the vagina to be able to influence the conception of the sex of your choice. Intercourse should take place according to Shettles theory, so for girls, it should take place two to four days before ovulation, whereas for boys, sex should take place as close to the time of ovulation as possible.

Accuracy And Effectiveness 

While the kits themselves claim to be 96% effective, experts in the field of medicine say that there is no real scientific evidence to back these claims.

Cost 

It costs almost $200 for a kit that lasts 30 days.

Advantages 

• An easy to procure and use, this kit is very convenient.
• It is safer and non-intrusive.

Disadvantages 

• The kit itself is not very cheap.
• The success rate is questionable.

Availability 

You can find these kits through GenSelect.

Fertility Medication for Gender Selection 

The process of selecting the gender of your child is something that is generally only applicable to those who are undergoing fertility treatments. This means that the fertility medications that are used for gender selection will be the same as those used for regular fertility treatment. Some of these drugs include Clomid, Femara, and Gravelle.

The Verdict- What Do Doctors Say About These Gender Selection Techniques?

Though it seems that gender selection is something that is seen as progressive and exciting to many people, the topic has led to some controversy in the medical field. When it comes to high-tech methods, we find that the controversy is still raging on. The point that is much debated here is whether it is ethical to select the gender of your child. Often, the fertilized embryos that are of the unwanted sex are destroyed, which means that many potentially healthy babies are simply gotten rid of. On the other hand, some doctors feel like gender selection is a great success and is a great way to help parents who wish to establish family balance.

The low-tech methods are not as controversial. While some doctors do not believe that the low-tech methods play much of a role in gender selection, no doctor will tell you not to try it out if you want to. While the chance of success may not be as high, there are no health risks to these methods. This makes them considered safe for those who want to try it.

Gender selection is a new thing, with not many people being aware that it is even possible. However, it is essential for those who wish to be more involved in the selection of the sex of their child to remember that it is not always possible. Rates of success for high-tech gender selection are high, but not all medical institutions will allow just anybody to undergo the procedures. Only parents who are struggling with fertility get the opportunity to pick the gender of their baby as the opportunity presents itself during their treatment.

For parents who are not having problems with fertility, this option is often not available to them. They would have to undergo a fertility treatment simply to be able to select the sex of their child. It would be a better option for those who want to try and influence the sex of their child to try the low-tech methods that can be done at home. These methods are safe and do not require a large sum of money to be spent.