Being Pregnant
Gender Selection Controversy Sparks Debate
Would you ever abort a baby that wasn’t the specific gender you wanted? One Australian couple did exactly that when they aborted twin boys to help ensure they had a baby girl through IVF. The story is gaining world wide attention now.
But there is more to the story than actually meets the eye. The couple who have several boys are longing to replace the daughter they recently lost. But because of law in the part of Australia they live in, they are currently banned from using IVF to help ensure a daughter.
They had to present their case to an independent panel known as the Patient Review Panel which have rejected their request. Now they have to take their request to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, who ultimately will hold the fate of this couple’s possibility of having a daughter in their hands.
What people judging at this point in time may not know, or take into consideration is the mental health of the mother, and why she is ultimately on this quest. A local Australian news source has quoted the mother as:
“consumed by grief over the daughter who died soon after birth” and admits she has “become obsessed with having a daughter and it has become vital to her psychological health.”
To me, this is understandable as a parent. I cannot ever imagine losing a child, and I almost wonder if I would feel the same exact way as the mother in question.
The couple has come out and said if their request is rejected again, they plan to travel to the United States to conceive a girl because in America we do not regulate IVF for gender selection.
How do you feel about the choice of this couple?
photo: flickr.com/jerseygal2009
Go Back To Being Pregnant
0 Comments
[...] here: Gender Selection Controversy Sparks Debate | Being Pregnant This entry was posted in gender selection and tagged child, ivf, their-child. Bookmark the [...]
Gender Selection Controversy Sparks Debate | Being Pregnant | Gender Selection Web commented on Jan 24 11 at 10:24 pmMegg commented on Jan 11 11 at 5:22 pmWithout wanting to belittle the horrible loss these parents must be feeling – how do they know a daughter will make them feel better and what kind of pressure will that put on a future daughter they might have? Having said that – it’s really not my business. I don’t think I would make that choice, but I’m not faced with that choice. The only thing, really, is that if it were widely “allowed” to choose the sex of your child is that you may end up with skewed boy:girl ratios.
TheFeministBreeder commented on Jan 11 11 at 6:10 pmI question the mental state of anyone trying to “replace” one child with another. Having another daughter will not bring back their lost daughter, and it could cause some serious psychological issues for the future daughter knowing she was brought in as a “replacement.” Childbirth isn’t cloning. Two kids, no matter how many genes they share, are not going to come out exactly the same no matter how hard a parent tries. Even identical twins have different personalities.
It’s hard to say what should be done in these situations because I do believe in reproductive choice, but using IVF only to abort based on gender disappointment seems medically irresponsible, regardless (and especially) because of the motives.
Audrey commented on Jan 13 11 at 2:33 amHuman beings should have the right to choose the sex of their fetuses. No one has the right to embark on his/her moral high horse, justify abortion but speak against it if its used in terminating the pregnancies of fetuses of particular sex. Its double standard.
Brooke commented on Jan 14 11 at 4:57 amwho r others to judge only god can judge!!!! I believe that people have all the right in the world to choose the gender of there child, maybe because its there life and its there choose why cant you get to experiance both boy and girl you only live once!! plus havent you herd of gender depression.
Brooke commented on Jan 14 11 at 5:03 amwho r u to judge only god can judge!!!! people should have all the right to choose there childs gender EVEN KINGS CHOOSED TO HAVE SONS!! u only live once. People should get to experiance both son and daughter
Add your take:
Note: Babble is a supportive, diverse community. We encourage a range of opinions,
but any unduly hostile comments will be removed.
Comments are delayed up to 15 minutes
Aela Mass 
Casi Densmore-Koon 
Rebekah Kuschmider .jpg)
CaitlinHTP (Caitlin Boyle) 
Michelle Horton 
Ceridwen Morris 
Katie 
Devan McGuinness 
The Walt Disney Company supports Babble as a platform dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent and open conversation about parenting. However, the opinions expressed on this site are those of individual parents/writers and do not reflect the views of Disney. In addition, content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or safety advice.
0