Gender selection in North Cyprus for family balancing is a wonderful process that involves many decisions. Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) are tools that can provide valuable information about your embryo and allow you to make the most informed choices.
With PGS/PGD, you can have the healthiest embryo(s) transferred to your uterus. In addition to ensuring a healthy pregnancy, these tests allow you to choose the gender of your baby as a by-product of the screening process.
Gender selection is becoming increasingly popular among parents who dream of having a boy or a girl as a way to balance their family. Choosing the gender of your baby is no longer a medical necessity. People do it for various reasons, including personal, social and cultural reasons. The demand for gender selection treatments at our fertility clinic is constantly increasing because our innovative IVF and genetic testing technology are more than 99% accurate.
What is Gender Selection in North Cyprus?
Gender selection in North Cyprus is a special medical procedure that identifies the gender of embryos created using IVF before implantation. There are two major factors that influence a couple’s decision to select the gender of their baby:
- Family Balancing: Couples choose to have a boy or a girl in order to diversify gender in their family.
- Medical Reasons: When one or both parents carry a genetic disorder or have a family history of a specific genetic disorder, screening for sex and identifying chromosomally/genetically normal embryos ensures a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Is Gender Selection Legal in North Cyprus?
In North Cyprus, parents can choose the gender of their baby using the PGS method. Gender selection for family balancing is not allowed in many countries around the world. For this reason, Cyprus has become the main fertility destination for couples from around the world. Gender selection in North Cyprus is a well-regulated and safe medical procedure. Parents benefit from advanced screening techniques to select the best embryo(s) and avoid numerous genetic diseases being passed onto the child.
Gender Selection Methods
Gender selection can be done by two methods. PGS is the first types of procedure that is >98% accurate in ensuring that a female or male embryo goes to your womb. The primary goal of this test is to make sure that the embryo will result in a healthy individual with no genetic disorder that can put his/her health at risk. Along with PGS testing, there is another method that we apply at our IVF clinic in North Cyprus to help patients conceive a boy or a girl. This method is called Sperm swim up and is based on the sperm sorting technique of dividing viable sperm into female and male batches. In the next paragraph, we will review each gender selection method in detail.
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PGS (Preimplantation Genetic Screening) in North Cyprus
The most successful method for gender selection is Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS). PGS in North Cyprus is available to all patients who undergo IVF treatment either for infertility causes or specifically for balancing their family. PGS involves removing one or several cells (embryo biopsy) from a day-3 embryo, which are then sent for lab analysis. After the biopsy is completed, the samples are analyzed for both chromosomal health and for gender.
PGS in North Cyprus is used to screen embryos for missing or extra chromosomes, which helps couples to select only embryos with a normal number of chromosomes. Before transfer, we screen embryos for extra or missing copies of the following chromosomes: X, Y, 13, 18 and 21. These chromosomes are known to be the cause of almost 90% of all genetic-linked diseases, such as Down’s syndrome.
Should I Do PGS Testing?
Our euroCARE IVF fertility specialist may recommend PGS testing for:
- Women over 37
- Women who have had two or more failed IVF cycles
- Women under 35 who have experienced two or more pregnancy losses
- Women who are over 35 and have experienced miscarriage
Accuracy and Success Rates
PGS is more than 98% effective in producing the desired gender. It is important to note there are other factors that may affect your chances of getting pregnant through IVF, including your age and reproductive health. The success rates of IVF with PGS testing at euroCARE IVF in 2018 were as follows:
***PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis) in North Cyprus
PGD in North Cyprus is genetic testing that involves a detailed analysis of the genetic makeup of embryos. This technique is only used for medical reasons, such as screening embryos for certain genetic disorders that are passed on by one or both parents.
During PGD, a few cells are removed from day-5 blastocyst embryos and are sent to our state-of-the-art lab for evaluation. The embryos are frozen until the results are ready. PGD is 99% accurate in identifying affected and unaffected embryos.
When is PGD Testing Done?
PGD is generally recommended for couples with a family history of a serious genetic disease. PGD works by detecting specific genetic markers used to identify a genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. It is also used to identify sex-linked disorders including Fragile X syndrome and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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Swim Up Method
The swim-up method involves separating viable sperm cells from the other components of the semen. During the process, any mucus and non-motile sperm are removed in order to improve the chances of fertilization. This technique also eliminates the risk of transmitting certain diseases from the parent to the child. The swim up method requires a short time of preparing the sperm and is much cheaper compared to the other gender selection techniques.
Benefits of Gender Selection in North Cyprus
The greatest benefit of gender selection treatment in North Cyprus is to ensure that:
- Only the healthiest embryos are transferred to the patient’s uterus.
- Parents can choose the gender of their baby with >98% accuracy.
- Only high-quality embryos are cryopreserved for future IVF cycles.
How Does Gender Selection Work?
PGS Testing Process
PGS testing is performed during an IVF treatment in Cyprus in a controlled laboratory setting. Three days (PGS) after fertilization occurs, cells are removed from each developing embryo.
- A small number of cells is extracted by our highly-skilled euroCARE IVF embryologist using a laser and a microscopic glass needle.
- The cells are analyzed for the presence of chromosomal abnormalities (PGS) by the embryologist under a microscope.
- Embryos are sorted out based on quality and absence of disease.
- A decision is made as to the quality and number of embryos to transfer.
- Only high-quality embryos are used for the embryo transfer.
- Only high-quality embryos are cryopreserved for future IVF procedures.
Swim Up Method Process
With the swim-up method, the sperm sample is first spun and then the viable sperm is placed in a conical tube with a culture medium to identify the most viable sperm. The process involves the following steps:
- The sperm is transferred into a sterile conical centrifuge tube filled with culture medium.
- The tubes are centrifuged for 10 minutes and then again for 5 minutes.
- The tubes are positioned at a 45° angle for 1 hour in a 37°C incubator.
- After the incubation period, the tube with the residue is centrifuged for 7 minutes. The top layer is the viable sperm cells that will be used for gender selection purposes.
How is Gender Determined in IVF?
Women only produce “X” chromosomes, and it is the father’s sperm that determines the gender of an embryo. If the father’s sperm contains an “X” chromosome, the resulting baby will be a girl with “XX” chromosomes. If the father’s sperm contains a “Y” chromosome, the resulting baby will be a boy – “XY.”
Here is an overview of the chromosomal combinations that determine whether a baby will be a boy or a girl:
- A woman’s egg contains an X chromosome + father’s sperm containing an X chromosome = baby girl
- A woman’s egg contains an X chromosome + father’s sperm containing a Y chromosome = baby boy
Is Gender Selection Safe
Gender selection is generally safe. Although PGS and PGD testing are performed at a crucial moment while the embryo is still growing, there is no risk involved. There are multiple studies confirming that PGS testing does not cause birth defects.
How Much is Gender Selection in North Cyprus?
Gender selection is a wonderful option for you to prevent certain genetic diseases and/or balance your family. If you are interested in having a baby boy or a baby girl, then gender selection is definitely worth it. The cost of IVF with gender selection at euroCARE IVF starts at 5000€.
Gender Selection at euroCARE IVF in North Cyprus
The popularity of gender selection at our IVF clinic in North Cyprus suggests parents’ desire to have more control over the gender and the health of their children. Our gender selection methods are particularly helpful for couples who have one or more children of the same gender and wish to diversify gender in their family. Gender selection is also recommended for medical reasons when the male child is at risk of developing an X-linked genetic disease or other genetic disorders inherited from one or both parents. No matter what your reasons may be, euroCARE’s knowledgeable and compassionate staff are happy to discuss gender selection options with you. Remember, there is always a treatment option that will work for you and your family.Resources: