Nashville Fertility

Gender Selection Using IVF With PGT

Learn more about gender selection using IVF with PGT

Intended parents hoping for a girl or a boy can utilize gender selection at our Tennessee fertility center. This option is available when patients use in vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). With this treatment, the embryologist can determine the sex of each embryo and the parents can decide which embryo to transfer.

Why do patients utilize family balancing?

Patients might want to know the gender of their baby for two primary reasons.

  • Inheritable genetic conditions. Someone who is a carrier of a sex-linked disease may want to select the gender that is less likely to be at-risk for inheriting the disease, as they’re passed through X or Y chromosomes. For example, if one of the parents has a X-linked recessive condition like hemophilia, a boy has a greater chance of having it. In this case, the parents may want to transfer a female embryo.
  • Family balancing. Gender selection can also balance the genders in a family. For example, if parents have two daughters, they might choose to transfer a male embryo.

The specialists at our Tennessee fertility center can help you decide whether you want to select the gender of your child using IVF with PGT.

How gender selection works

The process of IVF with PGT consists of a series of steps.

  • Ovulation induction. This process begins with the intended mother or an egg donor self-administering ovulation induction medication. During this time, she receives regular monitoring at our clinic with blood tests and ultrasounds.
  • Egg retrieval. When the woman’s eggs are mature, she will come to our office and undergo an outpatient egg retrieval.
  • Fertilization. The next step of gender selection consists of fertilizing the retrieved eggs with sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor.
  • Biopsy. An embryologist will then perform a biopsy on the resulting embryos. The biopsy consists of making a small hole in the embryo and removing multiple cells. This is a safe process, as all the cells come from the portion of the embryo that develops into the placenta, while the inner cell mass that creates the baby is untouched.
  • Screening. The embryologist evaluates the biopsied cells to determine the gender and health of each embryo.
  • Results. A doctor at our Tennessee fertility center will share the results with the patients to help them decide which embryo to transfer.

This process provides intended parents with peace of mind, as they know the gender of the child they will welcome into their family. Contact us for more information about family balancing.

(615) 321-4740