By MAMAMIA TEAM
The idea of gender selection divides dinner table discussions around the country. There are many who are staunchly opposed to the idea, saying that it is unethical, that it’s ‘playing God’ to give couples the right to determine the gender of their baby.
These same people often argue that even though the technology is available, it shouldn’t be used; and that if people are lucky enough to get pregnant, they should be happy whether it’s a girl or a boy. Surely ‘happy and healthy’ should be the only things you care about when it comes to the birth of your baby. Right?
Well, the McMahon family of NSW disagree.
After having seven boys in a row, Jodi and Andrew McMahon were desperate for a baby girl. They’d tried all the so-called natural solutions – diets, positions, timing – but nothing seemed to be working.
Every time they got pregnant, they got a little boy.
It wasn’t that the couple didn’t love their sons but Jodi wanted to experience the mother-daughter relationship she’d heard so much about.
”It was a longing for that relationship when you’re 50 and she’s 20, that mother-daughter relationship… that’s what I was scared I was going to miss out on,” Jodi told Fairfax earlier this month.
The couple felt that their only remaining option was gender selection. That is, when doctors use IVF to create embryos and then transfer only a male or female embryo into the mother.
The only problem is that gender selection is banned in Australia – it’s used only for sex-linked chromosomal disorders.
According to CNN, the reason for the ban on selecting gender for lifestyle reasons is because of a concern about creating a gender imbalance.
Michael Sandel, a Harvard University professor told CNN: “In China now, there are 117 boys for every 100 girls. In parts of northern India, it’s 140 boys for every 100 girls.”
Some European countries and Canada hold a similar view about creating a gender imbalance – but in the US gender selection is readily available.
So the McMahon family decided to travel to a Los Angeles clinic that could help them.
It cost them $40,000 in total but the McMahon family got what they wanted. At the time, Jodi told Woman’s Day: “It’s finally happened, and we feel complete. We feel we’ve done what we came here to do. To bring some beautiful, loving children into the world. I’ve got one more frozen egg back in the US. So we’ll try for one more girl next year.”
That is exaclt what they did.
Top Comments
I may get slammed for this opinion but were the technology available here (as I am not in a place to fork out $20,000+ right before having another child) I would use gender selection in a heartbeat. When I first fell pregnant I showed all the signs of having a girl and I was so excited. I cried when I found out all the natural signs were wrong and I was having a boy (forgive me I was 18). Now my baby is about to turn 7 and I wouldn't change him for the world. I love him to pieces and hold no resentment what so ever that he is not the little girl I was hoping for. He is wonderful and perfect in every way. Now in the stage of considering having my second sometime soon with my new partner I really want a girl. Be it for selfish reasons or not as a lot of you are saying I don't care! I want a little girl to share a mother-daughter bond with. Should I have another boy when the time comes I cannot say I won't initially be a bit sad but it will not stop me loving my child any less.
Ha! I love your comment! I have two delightful and exhausting toddler boys and am preggie with bub no. 3 - I'm certain it's another boy! My mum said a similar thing to you - they might be hard work now but when they're older you can send them off on bike rides and to the footy with dad while mum has some time off!