Travel Baby

As science becomes more and more advanced with fertility methods, gender selection is becoming more socially acceptable and more widely available. But what does this phrase really mean? One hundred years ago, it would’ve meant trying to conceive at a certain point during the month or day, but today it typically means something else entirely. Currently, selecting your baby’s gender is either performed through a clinic or on your own, trying all natural methods. Here’s a look at a few of the more popular methods couples use to determine the sex of their baby:

With Help From Clinics: There are a variety of methods that fertility clinics use to have you determine the sex of your child. Prices vary greatly depending on the service, but usually run in the thousands of dollars. IVF / PGD (described below) is typically $3,000 – $4,000 plus the cost of implanting the embryo, which is in the $10,000 range and up.

Sperm Sorting By Travel Speeds: This is among the oldest and least accurate of the techniques. The theory behind this is that X and Y sperm travel at different speeds. In this method, the couple’s sperm is placed in a solution. The male sperm are said to travel to the bottom first. So, sperm which seemingly match the couple’s preference is collected and implanted into the female.

Sperm Sorting By Laser / Flow Cytometry: This method sorts the sperm with a laser and then stains it with a dye which is supposed to indicate differences in DNA. This method is said to be around 90 percent accurate for a baby girl and about 75 percent accurate for a baby boy.

IVF Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD): By far the most expensive, IVF is also the most accurate. Once the egg has been fertilized by sperm in the laboratory, doctors can distinguish male and female embryos by biopsy and replace only embryos of the desired gender into the womb. If this results “take” and result in the birth of a baby, this method can be nearly 100 percent accurate.

Natural, Inexpensive Methods At Home: Because of the high cost of clinic procedures with no real guarantee (except with PGD/ IVF), many couples opt for natural methods that combine diet / PH alterations, ovulation / conception timing and intercourse positioning that favor the conception of the desired gender. Depending on compliance, the quality of the program, and the ability of the couple to determine and alter the factors involved, in my experience, these natural methods can also work.

By: Sandy Dean