Sex Selection of Children

Sex Selection of Children explores the strategies used to control the sex of children, the conditions under which a couple would employ a given technique, and the technology to achieve their desired family composition. It also considers the social consequences of sex-selection techniques, the legal factors that might impinge on the use of such a technology, and the ethical considerations associated with its use. Organized into 10 chapters, this book begins with an overview of some of the more humorous past approaches to sex selection. It then discusses the effects of sex selection on fertility, sex selection by means of amniocentesis and selective abortion, and the theorized link between the timing of fertilization and the sex ratio of offspring. A chapter considers a decision-making model that describes the use of sex-selection techniques by couples who wish to have a specific number of children over their entire childbearing period, while another chapter analyzes the economics of sex preference and selection. The remaining chapters address the parental preferences about the sexes of their offspring in different societies, the legal aspects of prenatal sex selection, a moral policy for sex choice, and the ethics and public policy on sex choice. This book is a valuable resource for specialists involved in fields ranging from sociology and economics to biology, public health, law, and ethics.

Contributors

Foreword

Preface

1 Sex Selection of Children: An Overview

Historical Overview

Current Research and an Overview of the Chapters

References

2 Measuring Sex Preferences and Their Effects on Fertility

Introduction

Potential Effects of Sex Selection

Examples of the Potential Effects of Sex Selection

A Decision-Making Model for Sex Preferences Considering Measures of Sex Preferences

Unresolved Issues

References

3 Sex Selection through Amniocentesis and Selective Abortion

Introduction

Assumptions

Birth Trial Probabilities

Family Composition with No Sex Selection

Sex Selection for Sequential Family Goals

Sex Selection for Compositional Family Goals

Discussion

Summary

Appendix

References

4 Timing of Fertilization and the Sex Ratio of Offspring

Introduction

Earlier Direct Data

More Recent Direct Data

Other Mammalian Data

Sex Ratio and Spontaneous Abortion

Indirect Data

Discussion

Summary

Appendix

References

5 Decision Making and Sex Selection with Biased Technologies

Introduction

The Decision-Making Model

Discussion

References

6 The Economics of Sex Preference and Sex Selection

Introduction

Review of the Economic Approach

A Model of Sequential Fertility

Summary, Conclusions, and Suggestions for Further Research

References

7 Parental Sex Preferences and Sex Selection

Introduction

Patterns of Parental Sex Preferences

Barriers to the Use of Sex Selection

Impact of Sex Selection on Society and the Family

References

8 Legal Aspects of Prenatal Sex Selection

Introduction

Conceptual Foundation for the Legal Analysis of Sex Selection

Legal Issues

Analysis of Current Law

Legal Trends

References

9 Toward a Moral Policy for Sex Choice

Background

Moral Dimensions of Sex Choice

Policy for Sex Choice

A Final Word

References

10 Ethics and Public Policy: Should Sex Choice Be Discouraged?

Introduction

Moral Policy in Sexuality and Reproduction

Consequences of Freedom with Fairness in Sex Choice

Ethics, Public Policy, and the Future of Sex Choice

References

Index