Sex selection

[ninwa]

I think the procedure involves IVF, separating male and female embryos so only the chosen sex is implanted.

A MELBOURNE mum is so desperate to have a daughter she is travelling to Thailand so she can choose the sex of her next baby, frustrated at Australian medical authorities as they drag their feet over the issue.

Already blessed with three boys - aged 5, 4 and 1 - the 36-year-old and her husband say they have been forced to sidestep Australian laws because they cannot wait for federal medical authorities to decide if they will overturn their ban on the practice.

[Russ]

Yes, but I'm about as biased as it gets when it comes to this sort of discussion.

[ninwa]

Sort of related:

A Melbourne couple is suing the Royal Women's Hospital for damages because doctors failed to diagnose their unborn daughter with Down Syndrome, denying them the choice to have an abortion.

...
[First case:]

"Had the presence of Down Syndrome been diagnosed at the time of the first trimester ultrasound and/or at the time of the second trimester ultrasound, a time frame which permitted the termination of the pregnancy, then the (mother) would have terminated the pregnancy," the statement of claim says.

The girl, 4, who now attends a specialist kindergarten, was born with heart, kidney and thyroid problems, can't walk, and needs help feeding, her father said.

...

[Second case:]
"In the event that Down Syndrome had been detected, (she) would have elected to undergo a termination of her pregnancy," their statement of claim says.

The parents claim to have suffered "depression, shock and anxiety" and "pain and suffering during pregnancy and delivery".

[/0]

I'm gonna say yes. In the end, it's best for the parents and the children. If the parents are desperately hoping for one gender and get the other, they may not be as loving towards their child. Conversely, it also benefits them by making them happy. In the end everyone wins.
I don't think this will even cause problems on the large scale. If people lean towards one gender, then the other will become ever more valuable (in a utilitarian sense).
I'm also for testing for genetic disorders, but against selecting "the best of the bunch" like they do in Gattaca. As long as the baby is healthy and happy then all is well.

[Fyrefly]

If this was allowed, China => 85% male, 10% female, 5% genderless supercomputer geniuses... possibly psychic.

[Cthulhu]

If this was allowed, China => 85% male, 10% female, 5% genderless supercomputer geniuses... possibly psychic.

This. Some countries would end up with insane Male to Female ratios. However I think everyone should have to right to make decisions about their children.

[ninwa]

What about just in Australia? There isn't this male>female attitude here (...much)

[Whatlol]

I'm gonna say yes. In the end, it's best for the parents and the children. If the parents are desperately hoping for one gender and get the other, they may not be as loving towards their child. Conversely, it also benefits them by making them happy. In the end everyone wins.
I don't think this will even cause problems on the large scale. If people lean towards one gender, then the other will become ever more valuable (in a utilitarian sense).
I'm also for testing for genetic disorders, but against selecting "the best of the bunch" like they do in Gattaca. As long as the baby is healthy and happy then all is well.

One possible psychological impact to the children is when they find out they had their sex chosen. Of course the reaction will differ from person to person, and it could have a possibly large effect on some people. not sure to be honest but still a possibility.

[Cthulhu]

What about just in Australia? There isn't this male>female attitude here (...much)

Actually over all the age groups, Australia has a 1:1 M:F So ratio^[1] so there isn't really a bias here.


Refrences
1. "Sex Ratio". The World Factbook. CIA.

[vexx]

I think this is perfectly fine for a parent to be able to choose their child's gender in Aus since we don't exactly have gender bias, there are heaps of parents wanting female children equally to male. If they are willing to spend the money (which not that many people will want to), why not?

This is so crazy though, i've never heard of this before! Oh how things are developing

[Kennybhoy]

At the moment it is choosing the gender.

Next step is choosing eye colour, hair colour, athletic build, penis size and suddenly when the kid is 20 years old he realises that he's not made just of his parents but actually a combination of things. Ie. He's man-made.

For people to actually think that this is a good idea is ridiculous. For a parent to actually want their kid to be unnatural is ridiculous. Use that technology for curing genetic diseases or something for fucks sake.

[Yitzi_K]

Anyone else thinking Gattaca?

Doesn't seem like a good idea to me, although I admit I'd have a tough time explaining exactly why.

Sort of related:

A Melbourne couple is suing the Royal Women's Hospital for damages because doctors failed to diagnose their unborn daughter with Down Syndrome, denying them the choice to have an abortion.

...
[First case:]

"Had the presence of Down Syndrome been diagnosed at the time of the first trimester ultrasound and/or at the time of the second trimester ultrasound, a time frame which permitted the termination of the pregnancy, then the (mother) would have terminated the pregnancy," the statement of claim says.

The girl, 4, who now attends a specialist kindergarten, was born with heart, kidney and thyroid problems, can't walk, and needs help feeding, her father said.

...

[Second case:]
"In the event that Down Syndrome had been detected, (she) would have elected to undergo a termination of her pregnancy," their statement of claim says.

The parents claim to have suffered "depression, shock and anxiety" and "pain and suffering during pregnancy and delivery".

I'm 100% against aborting babies with Down syndrome. (probably doesn't suprise you lol).
For two reasons: Firstly, just because it's mentally impaired doesn't mean it doesn't deserve the chance to live and enjoy life.
Secondly, where do you draw the line? First it's aborting for having Downs, then it's aborting for not having an IQ above 140.

[ninwa]

@whatlol I don't see the problem with parents telling the kid. I'd think "oh yay I was the sex my parents wanted woot". Then again I'm probably biased because I know my parents wished I was a boy (yeah they told me, no I'm not psychologically scarred, I think its quite funny).

Re: slippery slope argument. I don't see any govt daring to allow embryo selection based on arbitrary traits.

@Yitzi, what about the rights of the child? Some cases of Downs are so serious (like one of the cases in the article, the child can't walk, feed himself etc.) that the child will suffer all his/her life, never able to lead an independent existence, and either dying early or having to be cared for 24/7 by ageing parents. There's a point where aborting the foetus (because it is not a baby at that stage kthx) is an act of mercy. And where keeping it is more a way for the parents to either alleviate guilt or to prove a point rather than acting in the future child's best interests.

[Fyrefly]

This is soooo gonna go off-topic... -.-"

[Mao]

Annnnnd we come back to the same definition:

When does life start? --> What is life? --> Is life 'sacred'?