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Blood Test Determines Baby Gender at 7 Weeks

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    Dr. Marc Siegel on ethical questions surrounding new test

  • Duration 5:41
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This transcript is automatically generated

Yeah.

Well a simple blood test that can determine the sex of a baby just seven weeks into a pregnancy.

Is now raising some ethical questions about gender selection.

And abortion.

Doctor Marc Siegel is a member of the Fox News medical aid team doctor seat -- what exactly is this.

It's actually a blood test that the study was on the -- -- medical medical American Medical Association this week.

They looked at 6000 women and it's a genetic marker you can actually look at the simple blood of a pregnant woman and no probably about seven weeks on.

What the sexes it picks up the Y chromosome and coming to the Y chromosome and now from a medical point of you may get it has advantages.

Because there are many many diseases that I would look for that -- sex went like hemophilia.

Like muscular dystrophy -- Like that urging my manly if I had that -- my family you'd want it may be no.

Well because for simple math it's much more likely for a -- to get that -- they only got one -- you women have a big -- You have to acts as we have the tiny little -- You see that then then you would do further testing it's not that oh you would you then have the mother of ports that pregnancy it's that you would -- further testing to see if the child has those things.

Could you know me I always wanted to know the information and then decide what to do -- that the problem here is I wanna know the information but when the parents get a hold of the information.

What do they do about it in China there's a huge problem where we now have a 120 boys born for every hundred girls and this.

332 million.

More boys under the age of twenty than girls because parents are saying you're gonna restrict -- to one child I wanted to be a boy so this really added gender discrimination going on and I'm really worried about that happening but you can.

Already find out the sex of your child you know -- -- is -- like thirteen weeks -- you can have genetic testing done so this is only a few weeks.

You know before that so why so controversy well.

I kind of disagree without I think much more likely gonna see abuses happen at seven weeks or thirteen weeks fourteen weeks 1616.

Which is what we usually get at 1213 weeks is sort of pet at the three month mark there you go -- past the point where you can do.

If I mean if you're pro choice by the way that what's the point.

Of you know having a pregnancy and then just arbitrarily based on sex.

During the -- -- that's thing is I think in a lot of the viewers are are thinking -- obviously you know I would never and they would never but there are some people we have to worry about who would.

Abort a pregnancy based solely on the fact that they're having a boy they wanted to girl -- vice Versa.

And the question is are there ethical concerns -- in the medical community -- trying to prevent that.

I think there are and I'm most comfortable -- my patients want need to know.

But they don't necessarily -- -- -- maybe towards the end whether trying to figure out of -- blue nursery or pink nursery in India there's a rampant problem with this going on I mean it's a terrible thing.

It could work in reverse somebody could -- already have two boys now now it's time for a girl until I get that girl I'm gonna keep aborting -- -- can be a nightmare at all.

-- how accurate is it because let's say you've got some some parent out there who's going to abort their pregnancy because they want a boy and they're told they have a girl.

And you know what they're wrong.

It's about ninety to 95%.

Accurate.

About seven weeks to ten weeks when -- gets up to around twenty weeks ago it's been 99% accurate but what I would wanna be -- -- five to 7%.

And I again to emphasize I don't think parents really have the right to do this and my strong personal beliefs and how -- practice medicine is you don't get to choose the gender of your child to get -- Well that's where does this doubt because -- you know eventually.

What what we're already at -- point are we where they can take an embryo and tell you whether it's got blond hair blue eyes I mean if you want that testing done isn't that already out there.

So where does this take us and how much information should be available to parents.

-- -- -- -- -- By the -- don't wanna add to -- -- at a time we're talking about -- -- reaching in with more more tentacles -- -- -- we're talking about the story about mandating.

Birth control for women as you know I mean what what's the government gonna do with this information -- they're gonna send him.

Too many boys now let's let's were recommend or get a stipend for more girls or -- servers.

That's a little out there doctor -- I don't know.

I didn't and the.

That direction.

But the main thing is I don't think that this information will be used pot isn't something that's available in this country -- it is -- starting out there actually we'll get this that's a great question actually the studies were based on -- that -- already available so yes.

If they make this commonly used it will be available just one company that was producing an an an and it was getting sued but also to people because the results -- accurate has as the technology standards advance to the point where several companies are making it.

And you know what's interesting again from my point of view.

I have played tennis I can do but -- I have the results and the ensemble show.

You know I'll tell you I mean usually tell me parents -- one another sex of their baby you're like.

We'll have to wait till one lane -- I'm not -- sadistic but I usually say what is you know -- wouldn't you rather wait a little while with the would you like to have either one and many parents -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- parents are happy with whatever they get.

Well I think most parents are having that whatever they get the end but still you know curiosity evade the U wanna know if that's very -- yeah.

A young life must -- -- I I did find out what -- anywhere girl and and my philosophy was.

I don't need to be surprised of the day delivery.

That day is big enough it's not going to be like this stinks is a girl Marty knew that no I want -- is big enough I -- my surprise really -- the -- around.

But I'm -- you have a very healthy attitude you have a blessing what's called the blessing of one of -- men and mineral that's beautiful.

But again we don't want people knowing so early that they had the making a very bad decision and and I.

-- you know the idea that a beautiful child is coming to this world and somebody's gonna decide to end that because it's the wrong section for them in over Norway.

Sanity all right doctor Marc Siegel thank you -- -- -- -- --

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