In Australia, the review of the ban on sex selection for unborn children comes up for consideration in 2011. A new study shows Australians are more opposed now than ever to sex selection for their unborn citizenry.
The study, published in Fertility and Sterility, was led by Dr. Rebecca Kippen from the School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne. They analyzed responses from over 2500 people who participated in the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes.
Researchers found that 69% of the study participants disapproved of the use of IVF when sex selection was the goal. Disapproval came to a resounding 80% for abortion chosen for gender preference. A hypothetical question was also asked: if there was a blue and pink pill which, once taken, would determine the sex of the child, would you approve of that? The answer again, no by 89%.
"Opposition ot these technologies was grounded in three major concerns: the potential for distorted sex ratios; that sex selection can be an expression of gender bias; and a concern about 'designer infants' being created, when parents should be happy with a healthy baby," Kippen explained.
It's an interesting study considering that past research has shown Australian couples are very interested in having balanced sex ratios within their own families. "Very strongly in Australia there is a preference for one child of each sex, rather than sons over daughters, or vice versa," Kippen stated. Apparently not enough though to consciously gender select. They still want Mother Nature to make the determination.
The ban on sex selection came in 2004. The guidelines state that "sex selection (by whatever means) must not be undertaken except to reduce the risk of transmission of a serious genetic condition."
Source: Fertility and Sterility, ScienceDaily
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