Gender Selection

Selecting solutions for you and your family

Perhaps you’ve longed to have a son or a daughter. Maybe there is a genetic disease in your family that is gender specific and you want to have children without the risk of passing along the disease. Whatever your reasoning, our lab has the ability to genetically assess embryos prior to transfer using preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) or the sperm used to fertilize your eggs can be segregated into X or Y bearing rich sperm fractions by using a technique called Microsort™.

PGD

This procedure has a near 100% accuracy rate when a specific genetic defect is sought to be identified and is combined with IVF. Embryos are created in the IVF lab using your eggs and sperm. When the embryos reach around eight cells, usually three days after fertilization, one cell is removed and analyzed for its genetic makeup to determine whether the embryo carries an abnormal gene or is male or female. The desired embryos are then transferred to the uterus on day 5 of embryo growth. All of the unused embryos with a normal biopsy are considered for cryopreservation.

Microsort™

Currently unapproved by the FDA, we are looking forward to the time when Microsort TM sperm separation technology is available in the United States of America to aid in gender selection. The Texas Center for Reproductive Health was one of the test centers for the development of this technology. This particular technology allows sperm to be sorted into X- or Y-bearing factions. Then the sperm is used in egg fertilization to give a greater number of girl babies from an “X” sort (around 85%) and a greater number of boys from a “Y” sort (around 70%).

With extensive formal training in advanced PGD techniques, Dr. Juan Correa-Pérez is available to assist all couples, including those with any of nearly 100 hereditary genetic disorders including:

  • Cancer of a hereditary nature
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Autism
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Fragile X syndrome
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • And others

Whether you are seeking to balance out your family or want to prevent a hereditary disease from being passed along, contact the team at the Texas Center for Reproductive Health to talk with you about your options.