Now that we???‚¬?„?re trying for Baby #2, I???‚¬?„?ve been asked more than once whether I???‚¬?„?m hoping for a boy or a girl.

Here???‚¬?„?s my politically correct answer: I don???‚¬?„?t care either way, just as long as the baby is healthy.

Here???‚¬?„?s my honest answer: I reeeeeeealy want a girl.

Of course, having a healthy baby is my priority, and I will love him or her the exact?‚? same way?‚? no matter what, but I would be lying if I said that I don???‚¬?„?t have a preference. Since we may only have two children, and since we already have a son, I can???‚¬?„?t help but hope for a girl this time. We may even go so far as to try a few of Dr. Shettle???‚¬?„?s tricks for conceiving a girl.?‚?

While we’re on the topic,?‚? today I read this article and it got me wondering: How far is too far to go in determining the sex of a baby? Should we use advances in science to help us select the gender of our babies for non-medical reasons? Because now we can.

Through preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) scientists can perform tests on embryos to determine gender prior to implantation in the uterus. In most cases, PGD is used to detect serious genetic disorders prior to implantation, but a growing number of fertility clinics?‚? are now offering PGD?‚? as a way for couples to determine the sex of their child for non-medical reasons.?‚? ?‚? In fact,?‚? a recent survey of 190 fertility clinics found that ???‚¬?“a whopping 42 percent of clinics that offer PGD said they had done so for non-medically related sex selection.???‚¬??

Uh, is it just me, or does this raise some major moral and ethical issues? I hate to use the overused?‚? ???‚¬?“slippery slope???‚¬?? metaphor, but this is a slippery slope don???‚¬?„?t you think? I mean, first we???‚¬?„?re determining the gender of our babies and next we???‚¬?„?ll be determining their hair color, skin color, eye color, height???‚¬?¦.where will it end? Can you say eugenics anyone?

There have been many concerns raised regarding these so-called ???‚¬?“designer babies???‚¬??. There is the fear of creating a ???‚¬?“super-race???‚¬?? of people who will discriminate against those who are ???‚¬?“genetically inferior???‚¬??. There is the moral concern of creating and killing healthy embryos in search for the ???‚¬?“perfect???‚¬?? baby. There is fear that playing around with gene structures could negatively affect the gene pool. Frankly, the whole thing scares the bejeesus out of me.

So design-a-baby? No, thanks. I think I???‚¬?„?ll stick with?‚? Dr. Shettle???‚¬?„?s Method for now. The only downside is that having a female?‚? orgasm during procreation apparently?‚? reduces the chances of conceiving a girl. So, hmmmm, maybe trying for another boy wouldn???‚¬?„?t be so bad after all.

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