Surrogacy and Gender Selection

Surrogacy in Cyprus offers a unique opportunity for those who face challenges in conceiving and carrying a child. The latest advancements in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) not only make the dream of parenthood possible but also allow parents to choose the gender of their future child. This option, known as gender selection, holds significant importance for many families.

Gender Selection and the Motivation Behind It

Gender selection is an advanced procedure that enables prospective parents to choose the gender of their child during the embryonic development stage. This process is also referred to as "family balancing." There are several reasons why families may opt for gender selection:

Family Balance: Families with children of one gender may wish to have a child of the opposite gender to create harmony within the family.
Cultural and Religious Preferences: In some cultures and religions, the birth of a child of a specific gender is of particular significance. Gender selection helps parents adhere to these traditions and beliefs.
Emotional Support After Loss: Parents who have experienced the loss of a child may prefer their next child to be of the same gender, which can aid in emotional recovery.
Prevention of Inherited Diseases: In certain cases, gender selection is necessary to prevent the transmission of gender-linked hereditary diseases, such as hemophilia, which are passed down either through the maternal or paternal line.

Gender Selection Technologies

Gender selection is carried out using modern genetic testing methods, such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). These techniques are applied within the framework of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and ensure a high degree of accuracy.

The gender selection process involves several stages:

Embryo Biopsy: At a certain stage of embryonic development, the embryologist uses a laser and a microscopic needle to extract 3-6 cells for analysis.
Embryo Cryopreservation: The embryos are frozen to halt their development during the analysis and gender selection process.
Genetic Analysis: The genetic material of the embryos is meticulously analyzed in the laboratory using advanced technologies.
Embryo Selection: Parents are provided with information on the quality and gender of each embryo, allowing them to make an informed decision.
Embryo Implantation: The selected embryos of the desired gender are transferred to the surrogate mother's uterus.

Advantages of Gender Selection

Gender selection offers numerous possibilities for creating a harmonious and balanced family:

Family Balance: The ability to choose the gender of the child allows parents to have children of both genders, contributing to family harmony.
Adherence to Traditions: For families that follow cultural and religious traditions, gender selection can be an important element in maintaining these norms.
Emotional Support: Parents who have lost a child may feel more at peace knowing that their next child will be of the same gender.
Prevention of Genetic Diseases: Gender selection helps avoid the birth of a child with gender-linked diseases, significantly increasing the chances of having a healthy baby.

The gender of a child is determined by the chromosomes received from the parents. Scientifically, it is proven that female cells contain only X chromosomes, while male cells carry both X and Y chromosomes. The father passes on either an X or Y chromosome, which determines the child’s gender. Therefore, the gender of the child is determined by the chromosome set passed on by the father, and it cannot be influenced by folk methods or theories.

Gender Planning

Despite widespread theories suggesting that diet, timing of conception, or frequency of intercourse can influence the gender of the child, these factors are not scientifically validated. The only reliable method for gender selection with high accuracy is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) during IVF. These methods can only be utilized in medical institutions under strict supervision by specialists.

Determining the Gender of the Child

The primary method for determining the gender of the child during pregnancy is through ultrasound (US) examination. The child’s gender can be observed on an ultrasound starting at 12-14 weeks of pregnancy, but the most accurate results are obtained between 16-20 weeks. Another method is maternal blood analysis, which can accurately determine the gender of the child as early as the 8th week of pregnancy.