***Microsort is not currently available in the US. We do not offer this treatment. This page is for informational purposes only. ***
What is Microsort?
MicroSort is a scientific method designed to substantially increase the chance of a couple having a child of a particular gender. MicroSort is used before conception to separate sperm into those which produce girls (X-bearing sperm) or those that produce boys (Y-bearing sperm). After the sperm is sorted, it is frozen and then used in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle with ICSI.
Couples wishing to use MicroSort for Family balancing must be married, have at least one child and want to sort for the less represented gender of children in the family. MicroSort can also be used for the prevention of X-linked diseases found in males but not females. Examples of such disorders are hemophilia or Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
How does MicroSort work?
Sperm determine the sex of the child. Natural semen contains approximately equal numbers of female and male producing sperm. Microsort sperm separation produces a sample that has substantially changed proportions of X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm. This separation of female and male sperm is based on a measurable difference in the quantity of their genetic material. The sorting technique separates the sperm in a machine called a flow cytometer. Based on animal and human studies, including over 400 offspring in several species over multiple generations, there appears to be no evidence to date that the flow cytometric method of sperm separation increases the rate of birth defects over what is expected in the general population.
How accurate is Microsort?
Currently, Microsort X-bearing sperm separation for female gender selection is expected to make it 9 times more likely to have a girl than a boy. Microsort Y-bearing sperm separation for male gender selection is expected to make it 2-3 times more likely to have a boy than a girl. A child of the desired gender can not be guaranteed because the current technology does not completely exclude either female or male sperm cells from the enriched sample. As of January 2008, the most recent update to present, over 1200 babies have been born from this technology. Visit Genetics & IVF institute’s website to view the most recent data.
** At this time, Microsort is an experimental test that has not been approved by the FDA. As such it is not available in the US. Those interested in family balancing or for pursuing other methodology for preventing certain hereditary conditions can still use approved genetic screening techniques such as our PGD/PGS program. **
