Gender selection is a remarkable advancement in the field of medicine and assisted reproductive technology. It allows couples to choose the sex of their child and also check the embryo for inherited genetic disorders quite easily. Despite the increased controversy over the last few years around this issue, it is a significant step towards having healthy children and gaining complete control of your life. Because, you DO have the right to have a preference for one sex over another and you DO have the right to know if your child is healthy, without any disorders that you or your partner may have that could be passed on to the embryo. The procedure that provides answers to such concerns and allows you to choose your child’s gender is called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD).
Is PGD carried out in all countries ?
Unfortunately not, at least not for the bro
ad spectrum of its potential. In many countries, such as the UK, gender selection is only allowed when there is proven medical need, which means that only if you have an inherited genetic disorder are you permitted to ask for PGD. This doesn’t mean it’s an illegal treatment. In fact, it’s been permitted legally and carried out for more than 15 years already and has provided both fertility medicine experts with valuable experience and couples with healthy babies. However, it’s a procedure accepted only to avoid genetic disorders, not gender selection.
Needless to say, at Cyprus IVF Centre, we strongly support one’s right to have options in life and make their own decisions, especially when it comes to their future and starting a family. This is why we offer this service to everyone requesting it and not just when there’s a medical need. There are no lists of criteria that need to be fulfilled here. We simply see PGD as an added benefit of having your IVF treatment.
Why PGD ?
There are various methods to help in the selection of the embryo’s sex. However, PGD is the one with the best results thus far. In short, it guarantees the gender the couple has chosen, given that the embryos are tested for gender prior being implanted.
What does the process involve ?
If a couple wants to use PGD as a means to select the sex of their child, they will need to undergo an IVF treatment, even if there is no fertility issue. It is a procedure where the future mother’s eggs are retrieved and then fertilised in a lab with her partner’s sperm. The eggs are then left to mature and three days later we extract a very small number of cells to proceed with a biopsy that will reveal whether the hatching embryos carry female or male chromosomes. Therefore, the couple knows the gender of the embryos before they’re implanted in the uterus, which occurs on the 5th day after fertilisation.
Is it an invasive process ?
Our medical staff comprises of experienced, highly-qualified, and well-trained experts in their field that have managed to minimise any potential discomfort considerably. The procedure itself is straightforward and gives a 97%-99% accuracy in gender selection. Truth be told, no other treatment can be that successful.
PGD for inherited genetic disorders
It is a huge relief to know that your child won’t inherit a genetic disorder you or your partner may have. In many cases, these conditions are sex-specific, which means that are passed on to one sex only. One such disorder is haemophilia that affects only boys. Since it’s carried down the female line, it’s important the hemophiliac man that wants to have a child with his partner can be made sure their baby is a boy so that the disorder is not passed down. Other illnesses that can be avoided through gender selection include Duchenne’s Syndrome, muscular dystrophy, and Fragile X Syndrome, to name just a few.
Important Note: Team Miracle’s ethical values maintain a high standard in regards all fertility treatments offered at our clinic. Nevertheless, we consider the parents’ wishes for their child of extreme importance. Undeniably, there is nothing greater than helping people create life and fulfilling the dream of parenthood, always taking into consideration their particular needs, especially when there is a medical issue involved.
We are extremely proud to have helped thousands of couples start a family and give birth to healthy babies in the last few months alone. Our dedicated team of fertility experts, patient coordinators, and nurses is with you all along the way. From the first enquiry and throughout each step of your IVF treatment, including PGD, as well as after the treatment, there is always a friendly and knowledgeable professional to answer your questions and reply to any concerns that may arise.
Being able to offer the treatment that will meet our patients’ requirements and give us the best results, alongside exceptional patient care are among our top priorities. That’s what has made us the number one fertility clinic on the island with the highest success rates!
