If you could choose the sex of your baby would you? If you could ensure that a certain gene or characteristic was passed on to your child would you?

For some parents the answer to those very questions is yes, and for a few they have become practice. According to an article at CNN over half the fertility clinics in the United States let parents choose the sex of the embryos that will be implanted, accounting for 9% of all embryo screenings done in 2005.

A majority of embryo screenings are done to screen for certain diseases or genes that could potentially cause life threatening illnesses later in life, accounting for two thirds of all screenings. Embryo screenings are done at fertility clinics for those couples going through in-vitro fertilization. According to a survey conducted by the Fertility and Sterility Journal, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is done in 1 out of every 20 in-vitro fertilizations.

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is an embryo screening process in which a single cell is removed from a 3 to 5 day old embryo and is screened for genetic abnormalities, and sex. There are approximately 200 or more genetic abnormalities that can be detected, a few of which include: the Alzheimer gene, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell disease, some cancer carrying genes, and Down’s syndrome. Couples would have the PGD done and then only implant only those embryos that pass the screening.

Many countries ban or significantly restrict the use of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis forcing couples to travel to countries where it is legal. Reports have shown that couples from China and Canada (both countries currently ban the use of PGD) are traveling to the United States to have this procedure performed. The cost for these embryo screening procedures can be quite high, and when added to the travel expenses and time away from work, these couples are forking over big bucks to have these procedures done.

As mentioned earlier the most common reason for couples to opt for embryo screenings is to detect abnormal genes and life threatening illnesses. However, increasing numbers of couples are using embryo screening for other reasons including to choose the sex of their child. One of the most controversial uses for embryo screenings is to find an embryo that would produce compatible cord blood for an ill older child, although this does remain fairly uncommon. Ethicists worry that couples are increasingly using embryo screening to develop designer babies that carry all the right genes and characteristics.

Being able to screen an embryo for life threatening or debilitating diseases is one thing, but creating a designer baby is quite another. It will be interesting to see where this practice heads, and how common it becomes.

What are your thoughts on this topic?