Although there are couples for whom it is not important to know the sex of the baby during pregnancy, others are they fervently want the child they expect to be a boy or a girl, although in our country this choice is not allowed if it is not for therapeutic purposes.
But Japanese scientists could change everything after developing an easy application method that would allow separate sperm with female chromosomes from male. We explain to you exactly what this technique consists of and why it has raised controversy.
A simple method that has worked in animals
Choose the sex of the baby from the privacy and comfort of your home, and with the application of a simple method: is it possible? Not for now, but could be a reality in the future.
And it is that a group of Japanese scientists from the University of Hiroshima has created a chemical compound that manages to separate sperm with X chromosome (girl) from sperm with Y chromosome (boy). The compound acts slowing sperm speed X to give advantage to those who carry the Y chromosome, which would give rise to the fertilization of a child.
In Babies and more, boy or girl? Who determines the sex of the baby: chance, mother, father, God ...?The study has been tested on pigs, sheep and mice, and the results in rodents, published in the scientific journal PLOS Biology, speak of 90% of male offspring when the system was used to boost the speed of sperm Y.
Researchers believe that, like the technique has given results in mammals, could also succeed in humans, opening the doors to a possible commercialization of household products that include this chemical compound.
Such could be the case of gels or foams for vaginal use, which at apply comfortably before sexual intercourse, selectively alter the speed of the sperm X, so that they lag behind and give advantage to the Y. Without doctors or invasive techniques.
Choose the sex of the baby, yes or no?
Both in Spain, as in many other countries around us, you can only select the sex of the baby for therapeutic purposes; that is, when there are genetic diseases linked to a certain chromosome. In that case, it is possible to make the selection in a laboratory by preimplantation diagnosis and then proceed to fertilization in an assisted manner.
But, if such a simple and homemade method as this one would go ahead and be freely marketed, what would happen? Could the world balance that currently exists in the population between men and women be altered? What would happen if, in certain countries with a clear social preference towards male sex, this type of technique was made available to all?
In Babies and more Do not reveal the sex of the baby to avoid selective abortionsI consider that it is a very delicate issue and in which, personally, I stand against it, because unless we talk about genetic diseases linked to sex, intervene so that the baby that is going to be born in the womb is a boy or a girl It seems very superficial.
However, I can come to understand a couple's desire to conceive a boy or a girl when they already have several children of the same sex, although I also believe that these types of situations are the least common.
And you, What do you think of this possible home selection method? Are you for or against the couple could freely decide if they want to father a boy or a girl?
