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Original poster

What do you think about gender selection?

43 replies

Milkmonster2 · 26/08/2018 20:40

What do you think about selecting the sex of your baby?

In the USA and some countries it's possible to have IVF and choose the sex of the embryo that's implanted. (In the UK it is illegal.)

It's crossed my mind that perhaps in the future (in 5-8 years time) we might consider having PGD (pre- implantation diagnosis) IVF to 'balance' our family.

We already have two of the same sex.

Do you think it's moral/ immoral and why?

OP posts:
QuantumPixies · 26/08/2018 20:41

Did you mean to post this in weight loss chat?

Original poster
Milkmonster2 · 26/08/2018 20:42

Haha I definitely didn't

OP posts:
specialsubject · 26/08/2018 21:13

unless there is a medical reason ( something genetic that will only affect one sex) then I think that if you wont accept either you should not have any more.

families do not need balancing if kids have options.

you asked. As an aside parts of India do this by testing for sex and either aborting female foetuses or killing baby girls. result - many fewer to breed the next generation. evolution at its finest.Angry

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formerbabe · 26/08/2018 21:17

On an individual level, it seems reasonable. In the context of society overall, it's a dreadful idea. I'm pleased it's illegal in this country.

QuantumPixies · 26/08/2018 21:18

Why does your family need “balance”? It still will have more boys unless you have two girls.

I’m happy it is illegal.

calpop · 26/08/2018 21:23

I think its immoral unless as others have pointed out there is a genetic condition that affects one sex. I have all of one sex, it doesnt feel unbalanced to me.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 26/08/2018 21:33

It’s sheer twattery.

Sandstormbrewing · 26/08/2018 21:34

Yes I think it's immoral and should remain illegal unless for genetic conditions.

If you (or anyone) feels a family needs 'balancing' or you only want a kid of a certain gender, then you shouldn't have kids. It suggests you (the person doing it, not you specifically) are wanting a child which lives up to a certain idea, which is so much pressure to put on a kid and suggests you aren't going to offer a child unconditional love and care.

SnuggyBuggy · 26/08/2018 21:35

It opens up the potential for unbalancing the sex ratio which makes me uneasy.

Redglitter · 26/08/2018 21:38

Why on earth do you need your family 'balanced'

ems137 · 26/08/2018 21:41

I don't really see the problem if I'm honest. If it's only people having ivf that would have that choice then surely it's not a big enough proportion of the population to cause a gender imbalance.

If it's legal in America then it has it caused any issues there?

I've got 4 children and I did have a gender preference with each pregnancy. I wouldn't have been too bothered if it had gone the other way though.

If I was given a choice then I'm pretty sure I'd have taken it if I'm totally honest. I've got 2 of each so totally 50/50 anyway.

Quangot · 26/08/2018 21:41

Nature already balances the numbers of each sex. It is also much more varied and interesting for there to be all kinds of families instead of just one default.

Racecardriver · 26/08/2018 21:41

I would say it is 100% wrong to abort on the basis of sex. I don't think it is wrong morally to choose to implant certain sex and not the other bit I do think that it is bad for society as a whole. But. I'd it were me in that position I would be tempted to try all of the male fetuses first and of they didn't take then move onto the female ones because I am a little bit terrified by the thought of having a daughter (very bad relationship with my mother and other reasons).

StillMedusa · 26/08/2018 21:41

To prevent a known life limiting defect (like knowing your child has a high chance of Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy) or similar. Yes.
For any oher reason... huge no.
It is wrong for ethical moral and balance reasons and I hope it remains illegal.

FuzzyCustard · 26/08/2018 21:43

It feels very selfish to me, the notion of producing a superficially "perfect" family. All children are different from one another, and should be celebrated as such.

I'd call it immoral. (Or "Twattery" as described above!!)

Believeitornot · 26/08/2018 21:43

I think it’s a purely selfish and ridiculous notion with unknown consequences at a societal level. Look what happened in China.

lljkk · 26/08/2018 21:43

I don't have any objections to sex selection using IVF. None of the arguments against convince me. Abortion for sex selection reasons I am deeply uncomfortable about, though.

DC2018 · 26/08/2018 21:44

My problem would lie with the destruction of "unwanted" fetuses. That seems very cold and inhumane to me. I think a potential baby of either sex deserve a bit more respect than that x

Mommybearx · 26/08/2018 21:50

I understand why people don’t agree with it especially where countries are in favour of certain genders will mess with ratios and you will see a boost of certain genders. However as it is possible if you feel like doing it that’s upto u.

I don’t see the process much different to ivf
IVF is a man made way of making babies. I also have two of the same gender and have considered it but I don’t think I would because it means going out for three weeks which just seems to hard with my two kids. Otherwise i think I would. Really because I feel it would be nice for my two same sex children to also have the opposite sex sibling. My siblings are myself my sister and brother and I think it would be nice for my children to have both a sister and brother.

I do agree it’s expensive and illegal in most places as it makes it harder to be widely used- it’s not something I think everyone should do- again for the silly reasons like people doing it for their first child. I don’t honk it’s bad how Danielle Lloyd in the media has four boys and wants a daughter. I think for sure kim kardashian picked Chicago to be a girl as it was via surrogacy too.

shakeyourcaboose · 26/08/2018 21:52

it's sheer twattery all the fuck yeses!

Branleuse · 26/08/2018 21:55

I dont really care as i dont think there is any cultural preference for either. Most people tend to want both or it evens out.
I think it becomes more problematic in cultures where the value of boys and girls is so dramatically different that there is a cultural preference, but ultimately i dont think its morally any different from any other type of ivf

NotAnotherHeffalump · 26/08/2018 21:56

Agree with DC2018 I'm deeply uncomfortable with gender selection, either gender is a blessing. We have 2 boys and 1 girl, I don't feel any particular need for the 4th to be a girl and produce "balance" Hmm

Branleuse · 26/08/2018 21:56

*in UK

SerenDippitty · 26/08/2018 22:02

As someone who couldn’t have kids at all I get really angry with people who think they’ve missed out because their family is all girls or boys.

Original poster
Milkmonster2 · 26/08/2018 22:24

I don't feel I've missed out for have two children of the same sex. Initially i wanted two of the same so they a close playmate to grow up with (not that opposite sex siblings aren't close).

But I'd also like two siblings of the other sex. (So 4 in total)

A lot of the arguments against gender selection is based on 'throwing away' the embryos of the unwanted sex. However general IVF does that. Not all the embryos that are created are implanted (obviously).

Perhaps I shouldnt have said I was looking into it to balance my family ... That does sound twatty... I have read lots of articles that use the term 'balancing'. So perhaps that's infiltrated my choice of words!

With regards to gender selection on a wider scale. Of course it wouldn't work if one country particularly favoured girls/boys. It would cause huge unbalancing and issues with future populations.

I think gender selection where it involves abortion of a foetus (foetus meaning after 9 weeks) is morally wrong.

Im really interested to hear

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