News.com.au recently shared that families are increasingly heading to Asia for fertility treatment to choose the sex of their next baby.
The IVF technique, known as Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, is banned in Australia for ethical reasons, however hundreds of couples are paying at least $15,000 for the treatment in Asian clinics.
Medical tourism company Global Health Travel, said there was unprecedented demand for a "family balancing" service offered at a Thailand clinic.
"It's increasing by about 30 per cent annually."
"In 2011, we sent 72 Australian couples over and in 2012, we sent 106 couples. The main reason is to balance the family."
The treatment is nearly 100 per cent accurate and involves extracting eggs from the mother and fertilising them with the father's sperm.
The embryos are then screened to determine if there is two X chromosomes, which would indicate a girl, or an X and a Y chromosome indicating a boy. The gender of choice is then implanted in the mother.
Voila! Your baby of choice is created and hopefully the healthy bundle you long awaited.
I personally don't like gender selection. I am a strong believer that we are given the gender we are meant to parent for some reason or another. I certainly wouldn't be jumping on a plane anytime soon to ensure I got a baby girl.
I know some families feel strongly about wanting a particular gender in the family mix, lucky for them there are choices now to fulfill that need. Thankfully I am happy with what I was meant to have.
Sadly many couples aren't so lucky.
Would you consider a trip to Asia to ensure you got the long awaited gender you prayed for?
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