Gender Selection FAQs

When the developing embryo is 5 days old, it has many cells. Some of the cells will become the fetus and others, the placenta. PGT-A is performed by creating a small hole in the egg shell and removing a 5-6 cells from the area of the embryo that becomes the future placenta.. The cells are examined for the presence of genetic markers that are specific to the Y chromosome (the male chromosome). If these markers are present, the embryo is male. If the Y markers are not present, the embryo is female.

People choose to sex select for a number of reasons. For example, to balance their family with a child of the opposite sex, concern about a genetic disease that affects male children more than female children and for cultural preferences.

PGT-A is the only reliable method for sex selection. Sperm sorting techniques are unproven and lack scientific evidence. There is data that certain sperm sorting techniques may increase the risk of a genetic abnormality in the child.

There have now been thousands of children born from embryos that underwent PGT-A. Testing of embryos on day 5 of development (blastocyst) is felt to be safest of all techniques. Transferring a normal embryo greatly reduces the chance carrying a fetus with a chromosomal abnormality such as Down’s Syndrome or other more lethal conditions.