In 1998, scientists at the Genetic and IVF Institute in Fairfax, Va., stunned the medical community by patenting Microsort, a mechanical sperm sorter that gives potential parents a 90 percent chance of determining the sex of their child. Although this technique sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, the practice of gender selection has been around in one form or another almost since the beginning of time.

To get a boy, the men of ancient Greece had sex while lying on their right side. Their counterparts in 18th century France actually tied off their left testicle to attain a male child. And according to classical Chinese theory, a woman could choose her baby's gender even into the 3rd month of pregnancy: handling pearls would bring a girl; holding a bow and arrow, a boy.

As whimsical as they seem now, these methods often demonstrate deep-rooted cultural biases for children of a certain sex. In India and China, for example, the desire for a male child is still so strong that sex-selective abortion (SSA) is an accepted practice. In fact, it wasn't until 1998 that, in order to prevent SSA, the state legislature of Mahrashtra, India, passed a law banning the use of prenatal testing for the purpose of sex selection.

Although the degree of preference for male infants in these cultures seems chilling, it's sadly understandable given the economic conditions that favor boys. In countries such as India, Southeast Asia, Egypt and Pakistan, sons are often needed to earn wages for the family. Sons may receive a large dowry when they marry. And they provide financial support for aging parents. Daughters, on the other hand, are expensive: Parents must raise funds to purchase a dowry for them.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.