by Tania Mcloughlin

Created on: August 17, 2009   Last Updated: August 20, 2009

In saying yes that couples should be able to choose the sex of their baby, I mean by using limited natural methods, and in no way do I support the use of technological science to alter an outcome.

There are already ways in which people of many cultures plan for a baby of a particular sex, and if the baby's sex turns out to be not what they were hoping for it can be accepted as a blessing from God or Mother Earth that the baby they got was the one they needed.

One relatively modern method I know of involves the theory that male sperm swim faster and die off faster than many females, so, in wanting a male baby, the woman would need to be aware of her cycle and ovulation, often by charting, cervical fluid, and temperatures. Then time intercourse with the last day(s) of fertility, thus the female have little chance of reaching the egg before it is fertilised.

There are probably many other cultural practices and beliefs surrounding choosing the sex of a baby, but there will always be the need to allow for natural selection in the long run.

Technological and scientific advances in my opinion have a lot to learn in many areas but the field of gender selection should be left well alone. The trouble with allowing everyone to take a technological approach is that the natural balances of male and female may be outweighed so much that at one point or another there may not be a match. Also there are concerns about where else this kind of technological advance could take our species. Would it be too much to ask for blue eyes? Or black hair? What about darkening the skin? Or modifying the stubborn gene? It might be nice to have a completely compliant child, but what about when peer pressure sets in, or some other negative influence?

Allowing science to be integrated into the production of our babies when it is not entirely necessary may do more harm tan good in the long run, whether we foresee it now or not.

So while we think about the question at hand once more; ''Should people be allowed to choose their baby's sex? ''. Consider that there are natural ways of trying to achieve a particular sex, which you can learn more about (by internet searching or looking into natural fertility control ) and if you feel you didn't get what you wanted, reconsider your role. You will be a parent, a parent of a child you made with Gods, Mother Nature's, or Mother Earth's blessing, and this is your path.

Enjoy your family!

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