New Technologies: Baby Gender Predictors Of Modern Time

It is natural for expectant parents to get curious about their baby's gender. Long ago, choosing baby gender was high impossible. It was so impossible that parents who wanted to influence their baby's gender had to do crazy things such as tying the left testicle in the hope of producing sons. Parents had to settle for baby gender predictors or wait tediously until the official ultrasound results arrive and then that's the only time they can start buying pillows or pink mittens and the like. To date; however, technology finally makes it possible for parents to choose baby gender. Choosing baby gender was made possible when the first test-tube baby was born in 1978. Below are some modern ways which you may consider in choosing baby gender.

Selective abortion – Selective abortion is said to be one of the crudest way to choose baby sex. In this case, the mother takes an amniocentesis, which is an early-pregnancy examination which screens genetic diseases. The process can also determine the gender of the fetus.  If the sex is not what the parents aspire for, the mother aborts the pregnancy. This technique is clearly not supported by Christian countries.

Method by Ericsson – Another method which is now available to moms is that which was developed in the 1970s by Ronald Ericsson, PHD – a geneticist. Like the other methods, this technique had its share of drawbacks as well as ethical considerations. The method revolves around the idea that X chromosomes (female) are larger and denser than Y chromosomes (male). The fast  swimming male sperms are separeted from the slow swimming female sperms through a human serum which serves as a filter. Given this, pregnant women are inseminated with a higher number of sperm in favor of the couple's desired gender. This process is relatively affordable and was not proven to be medically invasive; however, it is said to fail in three out of ten cases.

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)– This technique is said to be more successful as compared to the one proposed by Ericsson. This method was originally developed to screen for sex-linked genetic diseases. This includes muscular dystrophy and hemophilia which disproportionately affects boys. The pre-implantation method can be done through vitro fertilization – the process wherein the woman's eggs are removed from her ovaries and fertilized with her partner''s sperm through surgery. In the IVF procedure, the fertilized embryos are brought back to the uterus of the women but with PGD, one or two cells are taken from each embryo. The doctors analyze these cells and then they detect the sex of your baby. The process is said to be almost 100 percent accurate. The preferred embryos are then used in he IVF process and those which are not chosen are either donated to research institutions or to other couples.

MicroSort -  This is said to be one of the most promising techniques to tell baby gender. The sperm is stained using a special dye and is run through a machine which distinguishes female DNA from male DNA in the sperm and sorts out the favored gender. After, the women is inseminated with the sperm which carries the chromosomes of her choice. This technique has been in clinical trials since 1993. It was first made available to couples who have a history of sex-linked diseases. It quickly expanded and was made accessible to people who wanted to choose their baby's gender.

Choosing baby gender is now right in your fingertips. Before finally taking any of these methods, make sure that they do not go against any religious or social beliefs and ethics.