Who can use MicroSort gender selection?

MicroSort gender selection is a high-tech method of increasing a couple's chances of getting pregnant with specifically a boy or a girl. With MicroSort , sperm are separated according to which chromosome they carry, after which the resulting sample of either Y chromosome or X chromosome sperm can be used to help a woman conceive with intrauterine insemination or IVF. Who can use MicroSort gender selection?

MicroSort gender selection sorts sperm so that the final sample will include a much higher number of sperm with the chosen chromosome. In ordinary circumstances, there will be around 50 percent of each "boy" and "girl" sperm in a man's ejaculate. MicroSort greatly increases the number of the chosen chromosome, but does not fully eliminate sperm of the other chromosome.

Studies conducted by the Genetics & IVF Institute (GIVF), the institute that developed the MicroSort method, showed that couples who aimed to conceive a girl succeeded in around nine out of ten cases, while those who were trying to conceive a boy succeeded in three out of four cases.

Clinical trials are still ongoing. In the meantime, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved continued use of the MicroSort method for couples who are hoping to reduce the possibility of having a baby with gender-associated genetic diseases, of genetic diseases that affect one gender exclusively.

MicroSort is not currently available to those who already have many children of one gender and would like to conceive a baby of the other gender too, or those who simply have a preferences. If you do have a family history of genetic diseases that are linked to gender, you can contact the Genetics & IVF Institute to apply to take part in their trials.

If you are trying to conceive a baby of a specific gender, but don't have a risk of passing on gender-linked genetic diseases, you may like to read about natural gender selection methods.