Gender selection

Gender selection: advanced techniques and new horizons

Gender selection attracts a lot of interest among couples who have wishes about the sex of their child. It may be a personal wish for some couples, or a medical choice in certain cases, such as genetic diseases linked to sex. Gender selection techniques have become more advanced and accurate, allowing patients to make more informed decisions based on their personal choices or medical needs.

Gender selection with ICSI or with IUI and sperm sorting

Several medical methods are available, mainly ICSI and IUI with sperm sorting. Here we explain these two methods — ICSI and IUI with sorting — and how they differ in effectiveness and procedure.

1. ICSI and gender selection

ICSI is an assisted reproduction technique in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg with a fine needle. It is mainly used for male infertility or when the egg cannot be fertilised naturally.

For gender selection with ICSI, additional techniques such as sperm sorting can be used: sperm carrying the male (Y) chromosome are separated from those carrying the female (X) chromosome with advanced methods such as mechanical sorting or fluorescent sorting. The appropriate sperm is then chosen according to the desired sex.

Steps:

• Stimulating the ovary to produce several eggs.
• Collecting the eggs and injecting them with a sperm chosen after sorting by sex.
• Transferring the embryos to the uterus a short time later.

Advantages:

• High accuracy in choosing the baby's sex.
• Useful when sex-linked genetic diseases must be avoided.

2. IUI with sorting and gender selection

IUI places sperm directly into the uterus at ovulation to increase the chances of fertilisation. Sorting can be used to improve this process and select the baby's sex.

The process:

• Sperm is collected from the husband after ovulation is stimulated.
• Sorting separates the sperm carrying the male chromosome from those carrying the female one.
• The sorted sperm is placed in the uterus during ovulation.

Advantages:

• Simpler and less costly than ICSI.
• No egg collection or fertilisation outside the body.
• Useful for couples with mild fertility problems.

The difference between ICSI and IUI with sorting

Both ICSI and IUI with sorting can be used for gender selection, but there are essential differences:

• ICSI requires ovarian stimulation, egg collection and fertilisation with the chosen sperm, making it more complex and costly, but it is more accurate. Sorting also separates the sperm by sex more precisely.
• IUI with sorting is simpler and less costly: sperm is placed directly into the uterus, but its accuracy in choosing the sex may be lower than ICSI. Its effectiveness depends more on sperm quality and the timing of ovulation.

Results and success rates

ICSI with sorting allows the baby's sex to be chosen with high accuracy, reaching 95% or more, thanks to the technology used to separate sperm by sex chromosome precisely.

IUI with sorting is less accurate than ICSI, as sperm cannot be separated as precisely, so there is a lower but real chance of the other sex.

Conclusion

Gender selection with ICSI or IUI with sorting is an option for couples who wish to choose their baby's sex before pregnancy. ICSI offers higher accuracy, while IUI with sorting is simpler and less costly. In every case the decision depends on each couple's medical situation, and it is best taken with specialists such as Dr. Asma Al-Momani, one of the leading fertility doctors in Jordan, who advises on the most suitable choice for each patient.

With her long experience and the advanced techniques at her clinic, Dr. Asma ensures every case receives excellent medical care, increasing the chances of success and of building a family.