Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis
Sex selection, sometimes known as gender selection or family balancing, is the process of determining the genetic sex, male or female, of each embryo created through in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The sex identification of embryos is done using preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), which involves taking a few cells from an embryo as it develops in the lab, and determining the sex, boy or girl, of the embryos through genetic analysis.
After testing, only the healthy embryos of the desired sex are implanted in a woman during an embryo transfer procedure. There are a variety of reasons, both medical and personal, that people may opt to select the sex of their child.
Regardless of your reasoning, gender selection can be legally offered in North Cyprus to various groups of patients.
Is sex selection right for me?
Men and women seek to select the sex of their embryos for a variety of personal, cultural or medical reasons. The 2 predominant reasons include:
Medical reasons
Hopeful parents may use sex selection to prevent the birth of children affected by certain sex-linked genetic diseases such as haemophilia, muscular dystrophy and fragile-X syndrome. Sex selection allows couples to choose female or unaffected male embryos in order to prevent the risk of these genetic disorders in their children.
Family balancing
Patients may be interested in selecting the sex of their child to “balance” the number of girls or boys in their families. Sex selection can help ensure a family has children of both sexes. If they only wish to have one child, it can help them have the girl or boy they desire.
How is gender determined?
North Cyprus hosts the only official clinic offering MicroSort sex selection technology in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa.
MicroSort is a sperm sorting method which enables experts to sort a sperm sample chromosomally into X (female) and Y (male) bearing cells. That way, by having a sperm sample sorted into two batches, which sperm batch has the capability of producing a male child and which one can produce a female child is determined. The sorted sperm, in turn, is used to fertilise the female patient’s eggs so that pregnancy can be planned with a desired sex.
The MicroSort technology also has certain requirements. The semen sample of the male partner must contain a minimum number of motile sperm in the ejaculate so that the sort equipment can be used. For sperm samples that do not meet this criteria, the sort mechanism does not work properly and cannot get desired results.
If the sperm sample is found sufficient for MicroSort, and if the patients are willing to accept a lower accuracy of sex selection, the MicroSort technique can be used alongside with non-invasive IUI procedure as well as with IVF treatments.
Contact Health NCY and we will provide a more comprehensive breakdown of the options available to you in North Cyprus.