Boy or Girl? Simple Gender-Detection Test Raises Ethical Questions

gender is a social construct.

sex is physical aspect; genetics


gender has to do with sociological and psychological perception
 
jillio said:
:hmm:

I don't know that I agree with that. If we were a country, like China, that limited the number of children that a couple can have, I could say that there will probably be a correlation. But the decision to have an abortion is not something that any woman takes lightly, and to say that more women will abort just because sex can be determined early really makes it seem like women who have an abortion make that decision easily and for insignificant reasons.

I can see where this would really be a plus, especially in the case of genetic disorders that are sex linked. It would allow one to know whether further testing would be beneficial or not.
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Good point. But, something just comes to my mind: I think they should take a gain of salt with the new analyzed tests, because it could misread an embryo's sex. I already see some people take it seriously as if it is real happen. Don't get me wrong. I actually like the idea of tests for identify his or her sex.

Now, I wait for whoever try it someday, because I am so curious to see how it goes well. :)
 
dogmom said:
I was a Soc. major in college. Soc. and Spanish. Took some Psych classes and some Anthro classes, really enjoyed the Anthro.
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Knowing that you were a soc major explains a lot!:giggle:

I have always loved anthropology. I don't see it so much as a completely separate discipline, but a discipline that suppports and compliments the other studies of humans.

My 12 year old great nephew has decided that he wants to be an anthropologist. I guess it runs in the genes, lol.
 
KarissaMann05 said:
Good point. But, something just comes to my mind: I think they should take a gain of salt with the new analyzed tests, because it could misread an embryo's sex. I already see some people take it seriously as if it is real happen. Don't get me wrong. I actually like the idea of tests for identify his or her sex.

Now, I wait for whoever try it someday, because I am so curious to see how it goes well. :)
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Good point. The testing can actually be wrong if done too early, because all fetuses start out as female.
 
jillio said:
Good point. The testing can actually be wrong if done too early, because all fetuses start out as female.
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Physically yes, they all start out females.

Biologically no, the sex is determined at conception.

It takes time for the babies DNA to cross over to the mother.


All ovums are females and the sperms are male or females. Hence is why we have

XY or XX
 
That is how this test works. If they find the Y. Then they know they have a boy.. if the Y is not present then they are having a girl. :)
 
Babyblue said:
Physically yes, they all start out females.

Biologically no, the sex is determined at conception.

It takes time for the babies DNA to cross over to the mother.


All ovums are females and the sperms are male or females. Hence is why we have

XY or XX
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Right. But there is a point in development that the genitalia are actually female. The clitoris enlongates into a penis, and the ovaries decend as become testicle. The labia fuse together to become the testicular sac.
 
Babyblue said:
That is how this test works. If they find the Y. Then they know they have a boy.. if the Y is not present then they are having a girl. :)
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Except in the case of an intersexed fetus. Depending on the disorder that is responsible, a child may test as male, but resemble, in real life,a female, or vice versa.
 
jillio said:
Except in the case of an intersexed fetus. Depending on the disorder that is responsible, a child may test as male, but resemble, in real life,a female, or vice versa.
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Which is one of the reasons why the test is only 95 percent accurate.
 
jillio said:
Right. But there is a point in development that the genitalia are actually female. The clitoris enlongates into a penis, and the ovaries decend as become testicle. The labia fuse together to become the testicular sac.
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Right.. I understand how it works. I just said that the test does not read the physical aspect of the infant. It reads the y Chromosomes.
 
Babyblue said:
Boy or Girl? Simple Gender-Detection Test Raises Ethical Questions | TheLedger.com


Click the link and read the whole article. I think it has its benifits but also has a risk of gender selection. Meaning a person will abort til they get the gender they want.
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I'm going to have to disagree with you. We can already detect the sex of a child with a U/S at around 20wks gestation. As far as I know, there's been no uptick in abortions for sex selection seen. At least, not in this country. Now, if you're talking in places like China, then I would agree with you.

I'm also not saying it's NOT happening here. It very well could be and we probably just don't hear about it, but, I don't think it's as prevalent as people fear; nor do I think being able to detect sex at 7wks will increase the likelihood of sex selection abortions.
 
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