Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Attitudes about Sex Selection and Sex Preference in Iranian Couples Referred for Sex Selection Technology

Authors
Seyedeh Fatemeh Ahmadi 1
Mahdi Shirzad 1
Koorosh Kamali 1
Fahimeh Ranjbar 2
Zohreh Behjati-Ardakani 1
Mohammad Mehdi Akhondi 1
1 Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
2 Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; School of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background: Gender preference is prevalent in some communities and using medical techniques to choose the baby’s sex may cause the gender discrimination and gender imbalance in communities. Therefore, evaluating the gender preferences and attitudes towards using sex selection technologies seems to be necessary. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Avicenna Fertility Center. Participants were 100 women with one child who were referred for sex selection. Data were collected through self-developed questionnaires. The questions were designed by the researchers at the experts’ panel. To determine the validity of the questionnaire, the viewpoints of professors specialized in these issues were obtained. The statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS software (Version 11.5), and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Tendency toward the male was more than female sex (55.5% male, 15.5% female and 28.5% no tendency). Majority of participants agreed with sex selection with medical reason and sex selection in order to balance the family. Women’s level of education had positive effect on agreements to fetal sex selection with medical and non-medical reasons (p<0.001). Conclusion: Although gender preferences were toward the male sex but this preference was not very strong. Most participants agreed with non-medical sex selection for balancing the sex composition of their children. It doesn’t seem that non-medical sex selection for family balancing causes severe sex imbalance in Iran.
Keywords
Attitude
Gender preference
Iran
sex selection
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Journal of Reproduction & Infertility
Volume 16, Issue 1
Winter 2015
Pages 36-42