Becoming a mother is such a magical journey. Children bring a wealth of experiences and cherished moments to our lives. Imagine being able to choose your baby's gender; well, with our Eligender services, now you can.
We know it might sound a bit like science fiction, but don't worry, we're here to explain how it's done. You'll soon see it's nothing out of this world; it's just science and a dedicated team of professionals.
To begin with, this gender selection technique is an exclusive service developed by our Research Institute at Ingenes, and available to our patients. It's a procedure that allows you to choose the sex of your baby through the analysis of genes located on the sex chromosomes (X and Y). The presence or absence of these genes indicates the embryo's gender.
You might be wondering, "What are the X and Y chromosomes?" Let's take a trip back to high school biology. When we talk about chromosomes, we refer to an organelle (think of a tiny, microscopic organ) located in the cell's nucleus, which contains genetic material.
Now, a sex chromosome plays a role in determining gender – that is, whether the baby will be a boy or a girl. Humans have two sex chromosomes: X and Y. Women carry two X chromosomes (XX) in their cells, whereas men carry one X and one Y (XY).
It's worth noting that all eggs contain only an X chromosome, while sperm can carry either an X or a Y chromosome. This means the male determines the offspring's gender at the time of fertilization. This is where Ingenes' scientific and technological expertise comes into play.
Before diving into the process, it's essential to know that this is only achievable through in-vitro fertilization. What does this mean? You'll undergo a treatment where you'll first receive ovarian stimulation using medications, followed by egg retrieval to extract the highest quality eggs. Then there's fertilization where we combine your eggs with your partner's or a donor's sperm. This is where the gender selection process starts.
The technique begins with a biopsy of the embryos formed from in-vitro fertilization on day 3 or 5 of their development. From this, 1 to 15 cells are collected, which carry genetic material that is analyzed using advanced molecular biology methods.
This biopsy is conducted in the IVF lab by a biologist specialized in assisted reproduction and doesn't hinder the normal development of the embryo or its ability to implant.
After the genomic analysis of cells obtained from the biopsy performed on each embryo, the results show which embryos are female (XX) and which are male (XY). Based on these results and the gender preferred by the parents, the embryos to be transferred are chosen.
Family planning is of utmost importance since it brings balance to your home. This service is recommended for:
Source:
Easter, C. (n.d.). Sex Chromosome | NHGRI. National Human Genome Research Institute. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.genome.gov/es/genetics-glossary/Sex-Chromosome
