Comments on: DNA Video: Choosing a Child’s Sex

By: nylon

nylon — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:56:15 +0000

this is bad news (

By: Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 16:04:47 +0000

In some countries, like India, gender selection is officially illegal but still quite common.

For more info, try searching the archives here but you may want to start with these posts on gender prediction DNA tests:

http://www.eyeondna.com/2008/02/27/gender-dna-tests-answer-common-pregnancy-questionor-not/
http://www.eyeondna.com/2007/08/29/is-the-pink-or-blue-early-baby-gender-dna-test-inaccurate
http://www.eyeondna.com/2007/05/12/australia-may-ban-gender-prediction-dna-test/

By: SCG

SCG — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:35:07 +0000

So there are no policies worldwide on non therapeutical sex selection? Is there any reference you could suggest to go more in depth on this ethical subject?
I read there are also some new prenatal genotyping methods (based on PCR) on maternal blood being tested. Thanks for pointing out this topic.

By: Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:56:15 +0000

Everywhere ultrasound and termination are available….

By: SCG

SCG — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:15:15 +0000

Ultrasound? You mean at a certain week of gestation? Where is that permitted?

By: Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:03:54 +0000

Hi SCG,

Yes, sex selection is available worldwide via a variety of methods including sperm sorting, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and ultrasound.

By: SCG

SCG — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:39:27 +0000

Is it ethical for Watson to keep talking ex cathedra (I remember the “black people” intelligence debate he fomented), distorting people’s opinion on genetics? I think these taunts are totally inappropriate (unethical?).
So sex selection in the US is permitted?