From: tas@pegasus.com (Len Howard)
Subject: Re: aborting females
Followup-To: talk.abortion  
Summary: oh yes, Dean, it is happening here....  
Organization: Pegasus,  Honolulu
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 22:48:12 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.125614.20519@cbnewsj.cb.att.com> decay@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (dean.kaflowitz) writes:
>In article <1992Aug26.015209.22867@u.washington.edu> jnorris@u.washington.edu writes:
>> How do pro-choice
>> people out there feel about a woman aborting a female fetus because she
>> wanted a boy instead? Does a woman's right to an abortion include the right
>> to abort a female fetus because she would grow up to be a woman instead of
>> a man? I don't know whether this happens in the U.S., but it happens in
>> other countries.
>> Joel
>
Dean replyeth thusly: 
>First of all, how do you "know" this?
>I am aware that in some countries female children, i.e. born,
>are abandoned sometimes, but when I consider the nature of such
>things the notion that they are aborted in such countries does
>not seem to fit.  That is, the countries where such things
>occur tend to be less developed nations, and these things
>tend to take place in the poorer, more rural communities of
>such nations.  Since determining the sex of a fetus prior to
>birth is a sophisticated medical process, I don't think it
>likely that those who would abort because of sex, generally,
>would have the means, financial or medical, to know the sex
>of the fetus prior to birth anyway.
>But to answer your question, which is quite hypothetical, I
>would not approve of such a decision personally because I
>do not see that there is any reason to love a child less
>because of its sex, nor do I see any lower value for female
>children as opposed to male children.  On the other hand, I
>would not approve of legislation that prohibited an abortion
>based on such a motive.  For one thing, it would be useless.
>All someone would have to do would be to come up with an
>"approved" reason to circumvent such legislation.
>And again, I am interested in learning how you "know" this
>happens in other countries.  
[mention of dishonest plastic surgeons et all deleted - lrh]
>
>Dean Kaflowitz

Dean, I thought I detected some skepticism in your comment about
sex selection.  You might even think it is not going on.  Just
for your information and the information of others who may be
interested, I did a quick National Library of Medicine search and
selected these titles out of the 34 references extracted.  I have
included a few abstracts, but mostly just list the appropriate
medical literature citations for anyone who wishes to look them
up.
 
Stephens JD: Sex selection and early pregnancy fetal sex
determination: ethics and personal freedom of choice [letter;
comment] Am J Obstet Gynecol 1992 Mar;166(3):1024-5 
Comment on: Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991 Apr;164(4):1092-9 
 
Gilroy FD; Steinbacher R 
Sex selection technology utilization: further implications  
for sex ratio imbalance. 
Department of Psychology, Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland. 
Soc Biol 1991 Fall-Winter;38(3-4):285-8 
Abstract:  
A survey of 242 undergraduates assessed attitudes toward use of 
sex selection technology and the choice of sex of first- and 
second-born offspring among potential users. Of our sample, 31 
per cent endorsed use of sex selection technology, with the small
subsample of nonwhites more accepting of utilization than were 
whites. There was a significant preference for first-born sons 
among all potential users, but nonwhites indicated a stronger 
preference than did whites. Students from rural areas were more 
desirous of boys than were urban residents. The desire for gender
balance within the family documented in earlier studies did not 
manifest itself. Choice of gender of second child was independent
of preference for first-born, with 54 per cent of the potential 
users desiring sons as both first and second children. 
 
 
Gray RH 
Natural family planning and sex selection: fact or fiction? 
Department of Population Dynamics, School of Hygiene and  
Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205. 
Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991 Dec;165(6 Pt 2):1982-4 
 
Young R 
The ethics of selecting for fetal sex. 
REVIEW ARTICLE: 33 REFS. 
Baillieres Clin Obstet Gynaecol 1991 Sep;5(3):575-90 
 
Abstract:  
Though it is not yet within our capacity to engineer the sex of a
human fetus prior to conception, recent technological advances 
have made possible earlier and earlier detection of the sex of a
fetus in utero. Where an embryo has been fertilized in vitro, 
detection of sex can be carried out much earlier still. These 
developments make it possible for couples to decide whether to 
continue with a pregnancy where a fetus is not of the preferred 
sex. To permit couples such an option would raise several ethical
and policy issues. I consider ethical objections based, firstly,
on there being something inherently wrong with the practice of 
sex selection; secondly, on there being serious untoward 
consequences from the practice of sex selection; and thirdly, on
the wrongness of the abortions which would be required to make 
the practice effective. I argue that none of these is decisive 
against a handful of cases where sex selection might be 
justified, in particular, where it would help reduce the 
incidence of sex-linked diseases and in cases where strong 
economic or psychological grounds exist for endorsing parental 
choice over the sex of their offspring. Even granted that there 
are no strong ethical reasons for opposing all parental choice of
sex (where this is understood to be a private decision), I claim
that there are, nonetheless, powerful policy reasons for severely
restricting the use of the expensive technology in the service of
such private decision-making. 
 
Check JH; Shanis BS; Cooper SO; Bollendorf A 
Male sex preselection: swim-up technique and insemination  
of women after ovulation induction. 
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jefferson Medical  
College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. 
Arch Androl 1989;23(2):165-6 
 
Rogerson PA 
The effects of sex preselection on the sex ratio of families. 
Department of Geography, State University of New York, Buffalo
14260. 
J Hered 1991 May-Jun;82(3):239-43 
 
18 
Evans MI; Drugan A; Bottoms SF; Platt LD; and others 
Attitudes on the ethics of abortion, sex selection, and  
selective pregnancy termination among health care professionals, 
ethicists, and clergy likely to encounter such situations [see
comments] 
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hutzel Hospital  
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201. 
Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991 Apr;164(4):1092-9 
Unique Identifier: MEDLINE 91196772 
Comment in: Am J Obstet Gynecol 1992 Mar;166(3):1024-5 
 
Abstract:  
The ethical attitudes of health care providers toward abortion, 
sex selection, and selective termination of normal and anomalous
fetuses in singleton or multiple pregnancies were evaluated by 
questionnaires distributed to members of the American Society of
Human Genetics, the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery 
Society, the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, ethicists, and 
clergy. Demographic characteristics of respondents exhibited a 
preponderance of men (76%), age greater than 40 (68%), and of 
United States residents (82%). Seventy-nine percent of 
respondents were in the medical profession. Approximately half of
the respondents were Protestant, the rest being evenly 
distributed among Catholic, Jewish, and other religions. 
Acceptance of abortion for social indication varied by religion 
and gestational age but not by religious conviction, age, 
country, or gender of respondent. First-trimester abortion of a 
normal singleton pregnancy was considered more acceptable than 
selective termination of normal fetuses in multifetal gestations.
Sex selection was considered unethical by most respondents. 
Selective termination was deemed ethically appropriate in 
quadruplets or multifetal gestations of more than five fetuses 
and in multiple pregnancies bearing one anomalous fetus. In the 
latter situation, acceptance increased with the severity of fetal
anomalies and decreased from the first to the third trimester. 
The medical specialty of respondents was the only independent 
factor strongly associated with acceptance of selective 
termination by trimester, indication, and number of fetuses. 
Acceptance of selective termination among health care 
professionals appears to reflect not only perceptions of 
procedure-related risks and benefits in the index pregnancy but 
also individual training and religious beliefs. 
 
Genetic counselling to a traditional society [letter; comment] 
Lancet 1991 Mar 23;337(8743):739 
Unique Identifier: MEDLINE 91163243 
Comment on: Lancet 1991 Feb 2;337(8736):306 
 
Kaye CI; La Puma J 
Geneticists and sex selection [letter; comment] 
Hastings Cent Rep 1990 Jul-Aug;20(4):40-1 
Unique Identifier: MEDLINE 91008273 
Comment on: Hastings Cent Rep 1989 May-Jun;19(3):21-7 
 
Shettles LB 
How sperm commence movement and their isolation for in vitro  
fertilization and sex selection [letter] 
Am J Obstet Gynecol 1990 Jul;163(1 Pt 1):270 
 
Geier MR; Young JL; Kessler D 
Too much or too little science in sex selection techniques?  
[letter; comment] 
Fertil Steril 1990 Jun;53(6):1111-4 
Comment on: Fertil Steril 1989 Nov;52(5):829-35 
 
Rao R 
Sex selection continues in Maharastra [news] 
Nature 1990 Feb 8;343(6258):497 
 
Wertz DC; Fletcher JC 
Ethical issues in prenatal diagnosis. 
Boston University School of Public Health, MA 02118. 
Pediatr Ann 1989 Nov;18(11):739-49 
 
Khatamee MA; Leinberger-Sica A; Matos P; Weseley AC 
Sex preselection in New York City: who chooses which sex and why.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University  
College of Medicine, New York. 
Int J Fertil 1989 Sep-Oct;34(5):353-4 
 
Abstract:  
With its increasing success, sex preselection has become a matter
of general concern, and interest in it is growing. Three aspects
of sex preselection in New York City were considered. Who is 
choosing the sex? Which sex is being chosen? Why have the choices
been made? In this investigation, 178 couples were studied and 
all 57 non-American couples chose boys; however, 120 American 
couples chose boys and girls with equal frequency depending upon
the gender of the children at home. Non-American couples chose 
boys for economic and business reasons (40%), cultural reasons 
(30%), and personal reasons (30%). Sex preselection is valuable 
in preventing sex-linked genetic disorders. Many are fearful of a
sudden change in sex ratios should sex preselection be 
successfully and inexpensively carried out. 
 
Quilligan EJ 
Ethics in obstetrics. 
Am J Obstet Gynecol 1989 Jun;160(6):1413-5; discussion 1419-24 
 
Wertz DC; Fletcher JC 
Fatal knowledge? Prenatal diagnosis and sex selection [see
comments] 
School of Public Health, Boston University. 
Hastings Cent Rep 1989 May-Jun;19(3):21-7 
Comment in: Hastings Cent Rep 1990 Jul-Aug;20(4):40-1 
 
Abstract:  
Moral and social arguments weigh heavily against performing 
medical procedures solely for purposes of sex selection. The 
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
medical profession has a responsibility to abandon its posture of
ethical neutrality and take a firm stand now against sex 
selection. 
 
[Personally, this represents my opinion on the matter. - lrh] 
 
Ericsson RJ 
Sex selection [letter] 
Fertil Steril 1989 Feb;51(2):368-9 
 
I hope this give you an idea of what the medical literature
contains.  I invite those of you who are interested to read the
articles in full.  I suspect from what I read, and what I hear at
national meetings of bioethicists, that you will begin to hear
more objection from the medical community when absolute autonomy
gets into utilization of scarce medical resources.
 
Len Howard - tas@pegasus.com


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