14 Apr Is the gender selection possible during the IVF?
The gender selection procedure of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) gives the right sex to choose an embryo. This is often considered a necessity. After all, future parents need to bear a completely healthy offspring without any hereditary diseases transmitted with sex chromosomes.
The baby’s belonging to a certain sex will be decided by the genetic material that will penetrate along with the male germ cell. The egg contains 2 X chromosomes, while the sperm contains X and Y. Accordingly, when the X chromosomes merge, a girl should be expected, and when X and Y merge, a boy.
Genetic information is formed in the fetus already at the first stages of development. After fertilization, the embryos have only the sexual characteristics of a woman. The organs of a girl/boy are conditioned by the X or Y chromosome.
Is it possible to plan sex with IVF?
Given the fact that this type of fertilization occurs outside the uterus, the choice of the baby’s sex is real. After all, the child initially develops in a test tube under an artificial regime similar to the female body.
Preimplantation genetic diagnostics is performed before IVF. This analysis is carried out by specialists at the molecular biological level. The procedure is usually performed on embryos that are already 3-5 days old. Thanks to PGD, doctors can identify more than 150 pathologies in the fetus, including:
– Hemophilia;
– Down syndrome;
– Cystic fibrosis.
This process consists in the selection of embryos that do not carry hereditary pathologies. For this purpose, a biopsy of one of the blastomeres is performed at the division stage. His genetic material is carefully studied under a microscope.
Due to the implementation of PGD, it is quite possible to determine the sex of the fetus. The main task of this procedure is the selection of embryos without anomalies. It is carried out if the family has diseases that are related to gender. Only a healthy embryo is planted inside the uterus of the expectant mother.
Indications for PGD
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is recommended for couples in special cases:
– The procedure is indicated for those couples who have a pathology of chromosomes in the karyotype. In such cases, there is a very high risk of passing the existing anomalies to the offspring;
– In the case when specialists cannot identify the reasons for the failure of implantation. Embryos planted inside the uterine cavity may contain genetic pathologies that make fetal development impossible;
– With previous miscarriages due to embryo pathologies;
– To women over 35 years old. The quality of eggs becomes worse with age, and the risk of various abnormalities within the chromosomes of the embryo increases.
During the IVF procedure, the egg is fertilized in a test tube due to the placement of spermatozoa there. Sperm is injected into the female germ cell and its fertilization is observed. A sperm with an arbitrary genotype randomly penetrates into the egg cell forming a zygote.
Fertilization of the ICSI type occurs in a completely different way. With intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the selected sperm is inserted into the female germ cell. This operation is performed under a microscope, as it is microsurgical. Usually, IVF-ICSI is resorted to in such cases:
– Severe male infertility;
– If the egg has a thick capsule;
– If previous IVF procedures were unsuccessful.
After successful in vitro fertilization, the embryo is subjected to a thorough examination 3-5 days after the fusion of male and female germ cells.
The diagnostics carried out is necessary for:
– Gender definitions;
– Checking for the presence of hereditary pathologies in the fetus.
If the test result excludes the possibility of the presence of an anomaly, then specialists place the embryo inside the uterus of the expectant mother.
If you need to exclude hereditary pathology or simply gender selection of the unborn baby, perform PGD before IVF. The child’s gender identity is determined 100% correctly.
After performing artificial insemination, the remaining embryos that have passed PGD are frozen. This is necessary to re-place them inside the patient’s uterus if the attempt to get pregnant ends in failure.