Sex Selection

Science is amazing. Over the years, we've flown into space, cured countless diseases, and now, science makes it possible to select the gender of your unborn child. Although much debate rages about whether parents should be allowed to design a baby, parents often have a strong desire for a child of a certain gender.

The most accurate method used is in vitro fertilization. In this method, the mother's eggs are fertilized. Then, the DNA of the resulting embryos is tested. This test tells the doctors which embryos are female and which are male. Only the embryos of the gender requested by the parents are implanted in the mother.

Although this method has a fairly accurate success rate, many clinics will not perform in vitro for the sole purpose of gender selection. An exception is sometimes made when the parents already have several children of one gender and want to balance their family.

For instance, if you currently have three sons and want a daughter, some clinics will work with you to make this happen. Of course, your insurance probably won't pay for the procedure, and it can be very expensive. Talk this over with your doctor to find out if this is a viable option for you.

Some clinics also offer various methods of sperm separation. Some companies use dye to highlight chromosomes and then separate out the "boys from the girls." The X chromosome, which is for a girl, absorbs more dye so sperm carrying this chromosome appear brighter than the Y-carrying sperm.

If you'd rather try something less scientific, you can follow some of the current "do-it-yourself" theories. One popular theory is that you can influence the gender by when you conceive. To have a boy, you should have sex approximately one day before or 1/2 day after you ovulate. For a girl, you should have sex 2 1/2 to 3 days prior to ovulation.

Another theory is that douching can help when it comes to gender. If you douche with an acidic solution, such as vinegar, you're more likely to have a girl. If you douche with an alkaline solution, such as baking soda, you're more likely to have a boy. This theory maintains that the environment determines which gender is conceived. Many companies offer home kits containing douches that they maintain can help you conceive a particular gender.

Yet another idea is that your diet influences whether you have a boy or a girl. If the mother eats a diet rich in sodium and potassium, she'll conceive a boy. If she wants a girl, though, she not only should avoid sodium and potassium, but she also should consume foods high in magnesium and calcium.

In the end, how successful you are really depends on the method you use. Some are pretty much guaranteed, such as in vitro, others aren't nearly as reliable.