Before one can make a decision about this issue, there needs to be a basic understanding of how this is even possible. There are lots of old-wives tales about choosing the child’s sex. Some believe that certain positions can make a difference. Others also say that the timing of intercourse in relation to the female’s ovulation can affect it. There are even rumors that eating certain foods make you more likely to have either a boy or a girl. There is very little evidence to suggest that any of these popular theories are very reliable. However, there are a few options out there for parents who want to choose the baby’s sex.
The first is called PGD, or preimplantation genetic diagnosis, which gets its’ name from the original purpose for the procedure. For this procedure, women need to get hormone shots so doctors can retrieve eggs for fertilization in the laboratory. The lab waits a few days and then tests the embryo for the sex. Then they implant the embryo into the woman’s womb. Another option is to sort male and female sperm in a centrifuge, and this is then used with IVF. This procedure has been around since the 1970’s, although it is not as reliable as the next method, the MicroSort Technique (Gajilan).
The MicroSort Technique, where the male and female sperm are dyed and separated, and when used with IVF it has been shown to have an incredibly high success rate. The Genetics and IVF Institute released a statement on their website for MicroSort that states “in terms of the number of babies of the desired gender born, MicroSort has been 93% effective for girls and 82% effective for boys” (“Purity and Results”). This technique seems to be the most likely option for someone wanting a baby with a specific sex. So should parents be allowed to make this decision or not?
For the pro side, one argument is that it will prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortions. This may in turn prevent child neglect and abuse. In countries like China and India where society favors males, there is a serious problem with neglect or abandonment of female children. According to All Girls Allowed, a religious organization dedicated to ending discrimination and poor treatment of girls and women, Chinese girls are twice as likely as boys to die in their first year of life (“Infant Abandonment Statistics”). Policies like the one-child policy in China have also been linked to a rise in sexual violence, kidnapping and forced marriage, and prostitution. The argument here is that while allowing parents to choose the sex of the baby will increase the already unequal ratio of males to females, it will eventually be balanced out when people start to realize the importance of females- I could not find significant support for this claim, but I’ve seen this argument on several sources. Another argument is that this procedure will not cost taxpayers’ much because it is considered non-essential. The price of the procedure will be dictated by the market, and only couples who are very well off financially will be able to afford this procedure. This in turn minimizes the social effects of this allowing this procedure to be done, like the effect on the male-female ratio.
Those against letting the parents choose the baby’s sex argue that this process is immoral. Michael J. Sandel, a political philosopher at Harvard University, said “It runs the risk of turning procreation and parenting into an extension of the consumer society… Sex selection is one step down the road to designer children, in which parents would choose not only the sex of their child but also conceivably the height, hair color, eye color, and ultimately, perhaps, IQ, athletic prowess and musical ability. It’s troubling” (Stein). There is an outcry against these procedures because people see it as a form of eugenics. Some also argue against the claim that this process will not benefit societies with problems regarding sex and gender. They argue that it will contribute to gender discrimination.
To be honest, I feel very uncomfortable telling someone what they should be allowed to do when it comes to their bodies and their reproductive choices. I believe that as long as they aren’t somehow hurting someone else and if their choices don’t affect you, then you don’t really have the right to tell them what is right. However, I do not believe that parents should be allowed to choose the sex of their baby. I think that there needs to be more education about sex and contraception to reduce the number of abortions. I think that we need to look at the effects of one-child policies in countries. We need to re-examine ideas that tell us that males are somehow preferable to female children, and why several countries have seen serious social issues because of that idea, like sexual violence, kidnappings, forced marriage, prostitution, and infanticide. I think we also need to ask the question of why choosing a child’s sex is so important. I also don’t like the idea of parents trying to fulfill a wish list with their child. These problems surrounding sex and gender should be addressed independently and at the root of these problems, and I don’t believe that allowing parents to choose the sex of their baby will solve anything. In fact, I think it will lead to more. In cases where there is a one child policy, or in places where male children are preferred, I think that this process of choosing a child’s sex would allow the ratio between boys and girls to widen. I believe that this will just lead to higher rates of infanticide (because the procedures that allow for the parents to choose the sex are not always reliable), as well as kidnappings, forced marriage, prostitution, and sexual violence. I don’t believe in the claim that the pro side has that says it will eventually even out. To me, that seems doubtful, and a lot of people will suffer before it begins to improve. That is why I don’t think parents should be allowed to choose the sex of their child.

SOURCES:
Gajilan, Chris. “Gender Selection a Reality, but Is It Ethical?” CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
“Purity and Results.” Results. Genetics and IVF Institute, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
Stein, Rob. “A Boy for You, a Girl for Me: Technology Allows Choice.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2004. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
“Infant Abandonment Statistics.” Infant Abandonment Statistics. All Girls Allowed, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
“Gendercide in India: Add Sugar and Spice.” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 09 Apr. 2011. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.