Should gender selection for non medical reasons be legal in Australia

[Blessedwith3boys]

Is it so awful to have a preference?

No it isn't at all.
I have 3 boys and never really had that desire for a girl and as I said previously just have never had gender disapointment. I am actually glad I have 3 boys. They get along really well and are into the same things. It's certainly cheaper having the same sex I'm sure. I kinda think a girl would have been the odd one out had we had 1 girl and 2 boys. I think girls would be hard work and more expensive particularly as they get older. Other than that I have no reason why I prefer boys as I had an awesome relationship with my mum and dad too. I did have my neice live with us for a few months which opened my eyes for sure, she was hard work and dh and I agreed we were all the more thankful for our boys 😀

[Elijahs Mum]

No it isn't at all.
I have 3 boys and never really had that desire for a girl and as I said previously just have never had gender disapointment. I am actually glad I have 3 boys. They get along really well and are into the same things. It's certainly cheaper having the same sex I'm sure. I kinda think a girl would have been the odd one out had we had 1 girl and 2 boys. I think girls would be hard work and more expensive particularly as they get older. Other than that I have no reason why I prefer boys as I had an awesome relationship with my mum and dad too. I did have my neice live with us for a few months which opened my eyes for sure, she was hard work and dh and I agreed we were all the more thankful for our boys 😀

I might be wrong but I could have sworn you were talking about going to Bangkok a few years ago to do gender selection to get a girl ? Sorry I just read the whole thread and you did mention it, boys are awesome!

[Blessedwith3boys]

I might be wrong but I could have sworn you were talking about going to Bangkok a few years ago to do gender selection to get a girl ? Sorry I just read the whole thread and you did mention it, boys are awesome!

Yep as I mentioned early in this thread. We did look into gs in bangkok for number 3. Dh would have liked a girl. Now glad we didn't! Love our 3 boys to pieces

[Wiccan]

A whole boat load of NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ONLY for GENETIC REASONS.

[GingerKat]

A whole boat load of NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ONLY for GENETIC REASONS.

Care to share why you think that? You seem very passionately against it so I'd be interested to know why.

[sunnygirl79]

Not entirely sure how I feel about it. On one hand, I believe it's not up to us what gender we're given, everything happens for a reason, etc. I don't like the thought of messing with genetics.

However, IVF is legal and is undoubtedly one of the most incredible successes of modern science that gives so many mothers and fathers the families they long for, that would have otherwise been impossible. With IVF, my very basic unqualified understanding is that embryos are chosen (when more than one has been successfully created) anyway - based on an educated guess on its viability. If they can pick and choose based on that, why not the sex? In that instance, I don't see a problem with choosing a sex, assuming one healthy embryo of either sex is available.

I do think it's tricky though - there is the risk then that couples could discard embryos based on sex alone and create more and more until they get one they like, etc. I am not sure where the line should be drawn.

IVF is very expensive and not a simple process though so I don't think everyone with a gender preference would be rushing out to have IVF unless they had fertility issues to begin with. And if they did, it's no simple process and there are no guarantees of success.

Anyway can't say I am for or against it without knowing full details. I wouldn't do it, but I have thankfully never needed IVF. I imagine if I had to have IVF I would want more of a say in regard to my embryos.

[Nemmi1987]

this argument that couples will just abandon embryos and it'll create a gender imbalance is absurd, gender selection is expensive, every tom, **** and harry isnt about to do it!

[sunnygirl79]

this argument that couples will just abandon embryos and it'll create a gender imbalance is absurd, gender selection is expensive, every tom, **** and harry isnt about to do it!

Just wanted to clarify that in my post above, I never suggested anything about gender imbalance - in case you were referring to my comment, it's not clear.

I did say that there will be couples (very rich ones at that) who would discard embryos based on gender alone. This will happen.

Absolutely not many, for the reasons I stated in my post, not just finance but the huge physical and emotional roller coaster that goes with IVF.

But even if it's only a select few doing the selective discarding, it doesn't make it right. Just my 2 cents.

[MommyKenny]

The last post is 2016 but I find this topic really interesting. A lot of the ladies here are against it but a lot more are a bit confused. The clinic I went to in Cyprus offers it. I'd say the decision is something really personal and it is not up to us to judge.