What is sex selection? How much does it cost? Does it even work?
If you’re a prospective parent considering IVF treatments, you’ve likely encountered the concept of sex selection and had a few questions. Advances in reproductive technology in recent years have made sex selection a popular option among couples undergoing fertility treatments.
With that in mind, we’ve laid out this FAQ page to answer everything you’ve wanted to know about how the sex selection procedure works.
How Does Sex Selection Work: Answers to Common Questions
What Is Sex Selection?
In terms of how sex selection works, it’s essentially the fertility procedure that allows people to choose the sex of their baby. Genetically speaking, a woman’s egg contains only an “X” chromosome, while the male sperm carries both “X” and “Y” chromosomes. When a male sperm with the “Y” chromosome fertilizes an egg, the “XY” combination results in a male baby. An “XX” chromosome pairing, on the other hand, will produce a female.
There are two types of sex selection methods–sperm sorting and preimplantation genetic screening–that can greatly increase the chances a baby will be of the preferred sex of the parents.
What Is Sperm Sorting?
Sperm sorting involves separating individual sperm based on weight. Sperm carrying an “X” chromosome have around 3% less weight than sperm carrying a “Y” chromosome. In sperm sorting, lab technicians, using a special dye, attempt to sort out sperm and combine them in the hopes of creating an embryo of a specific sex.
What Is PGS Testing?
Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is the only guaranteed method of sex selection. Performed in conjunction with IVF treatments, PGS involves a highly-skilled embryologist removing 3 – 6 cells from a patient’s recently fertilized eggs with a laser and a microscopic glass needle. This biopsy is totally safe and in no way damages the cells that will develop into a baby. The genetic makeup of the cells is then analyzed, and a decision is made regarding the quality and sex of each individual embryo, with the highest quality of the embryos of the desired sex selected to be transferred using IVF.
Which Sex Selection Method Is Most Effective?
The somewhat invasive sperm sorting sex selection method is only around 75% accurate in identifying the correct chromosomes, leaving patients with a 25% chance of their baby having a different-than-expected sex. For that reason, many top fertility clinics do not practice sperm sorting, opting instead for the more effective preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), which ensures the highest-quality embryos of the desired sex with a higher than 99% accuracy.
What Are Some Reasons People Choose Sex Selection?
Couples turn to sex selection for a variety of personal, social, and cultural reasons. Sometimes it’s used to prevent serious sex-related genetic diseases and chromosomal disorders such as muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, and severe autism. In other instances, prospective parents may be seeking one sex over the other in order to balance their families.
How Much Does Sex Selection Cost?
The PGS procedure typically adds an additional $3,900 to $5,000 to the cost of an IVF cycle. That sex selection cost includes testing the first eight embryos. Testing for additional embryos usually costs a few hundred dollars per embryo.
Can You Freeze Excess Embryos for Future Sex Selection?
Yes! If multiple quality embryos with different sexes are identified, you can request which sex is transferred during the fresh IVF cycle. Since only one or two quality embryos are transferred to avoid multiple pregnancies, the excess embryos can be cryopreserved for future Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) procedures.
If you’re considering sex selection and you’re in the New York area, New Hope Fertility specializes in the nearly 100% accurate PGS genetic sex selection method. Please note that we do not offer sperm sorting. If you’d like to speak with one of our fertility specialists about sex selection during your IVF treatments, reach out for a consultation today!
Why New Hope?
New Hope Fertility Center is home to world-renowned fertility specialists. We custom-design fertility treatments for the individual to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. Our specialists believe in putting the patient first and being with them through every step of the fertility journey. Our team is well-versed in helping women of all ages reach their fertility goals and we are passionate about educating, and supporting our patients throughout their journey. If you want compassionate fertility care, New Hope is the right place for you. Call us at (347) 970-8479 or schedule your initial consultation today!