Doctors have developed a blood test that allows expectant mothers to know the sex of their unborn baby’s by the seventh week, reports the Daily Mail. Currently, couples who must wait until the ultrasound scan at around 20 weeks into the pregnancy.
The simple DNA test was developed as a research tool by Dr. Esther Guetta at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, to check for genetic diseases, such as hemophilia.
By taking a sample of a pregnant woman’s blood, the test picks up traces of the unborn child’s DNA, including whether it contains the male “Y” chromosome. Female cells have two XX chromosomes, while male cells have XY chromosomes. The test is accurate 99 per cent of the time.
Already, pro-life supporters are worried the test could encourage abortions. There have long been problems of gendercide in countries such as India and China where female fetuses are aborted.
“For those parents who carry recessive disorders that will only affect a child of one sex, such a test might allow them to decide at an earlier stage whether to continue the pregnancy, “ said a spokesperson for the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which provides counselling for unplanned pregnancy.