IVF with PGD / PGT Embryo Testing
Family balancing is the term used when a couple already has one or more children of the same sex and hopes their next child will be of the other sex. Gender selection, or embryo sex selection, refers to using genetic testing during IVF to identify the chromosomal sex of an embryo before transfer.
Both are only possible alongside a full IVF cycle with preimplantation genetic testing (PGD/PGT). The embryos created in the laboratory are biopsied and tested, and the results report chromosomal information that includes sex chromosomes.
At Iswarya IVF & PGD, Colombo, Sri Lanka, this is treated as a medical, ethical and legal consultation rather than a menu choice. Before anything else, our team reviews your medical history, previous pregnancies, any genetic risk in the family, and what current Sri Lankan guidance permits.
Book a ConsultationThe distinction below decides what is possible. It is the first thing our specialists establish, because the two situations are treated very differently in law, in professional guidance and in clinic policy.
Used when a family carries a serious sex-linked genetic condition. Some X-linked disorders, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or haemophilia, affect male children far more severely. Where a documented risk exists, embryo sex information can help reduce the chance of passing on a severe inherited disease. This is the indication that Sri Lankan ART guidance recognises.
Requested for personal or family reasons rather than to avoid disease — for example, hoping for a daughter after two sons. Sri Lankan ART professional guidance states that centres should refrain from sex selection carried out solely for family balancing or personal preference, so this is not something we can offer on request.
Where embryo testing is medically indicated, the pathway follows a standard IVF cycle with an added biopsy and testing stage.
A fertility specialist reviews your history, previous pregnancies, and the reason for the request. Where a sex-linked condition is suspected, we arrange genetic counselling and, where relevant, carrier testing to establish whether a medical indication exists.
If IVF with PGT is appropriate, an individualised stimulation protocol is planned and monitored with scans and hormone tests. Eggs are collected under sedation in a day procedure.
Eggs are fertilised, usually with ICSI to reduce contamination of the genetic sample. Embryos are cultured to the blastocyst stage, generally day five or six, so that enough cells are available for a safe biopsy.
A small number of cells are removed from the outer layer of each suitable blastocyst and sent for testing. The embryos are frozen while results are awaited. Reports describe chromosomal findings, which include sex chromosomes.
Results are explained alongside a genetic counsellor. Where testing was medically indicated, unaffected embryos are identified for transfer. A frozen embryo transfer is then planned in a prepared cycle.
Embryo testing gives useful information, but it has real limits. We would rather you know these before starting than discover them mid-cycle.
Testing requires a full IVF cycle, so the physical, emotional and financial commitment is greater than natural conception.
Not every cycle produces embryos suitable for biopsy, and some cycles produce no embryo of the hoped-for sex.
Embryo biopsy carries a small risk to the embryo, and results can occasionally be inconclusive or need repeat testing.
PGT reduces but does not eliminate genetic risk, and it cannot screen for every inherited condition.
A normal test result is not a guarantee of pregnancy, implantation or a healthy live birth.
Non-medical sex selection raises ethical questions about gender stereotyping, family pressure and population sex-ratio imbalance.
Sri Lankan ART professional guidance limits embryo sex selection to medically justified reasons, such as avoiding a serious sex-linked disorder, and advises centres to refrain from sex selection performed solely for family balancing or personal preference. We follow that guidance, so we cannot offer non-medical gender selection on request. We are glad to review whether a medical indication applies in your case.
Identification of sex chromosomes through preimplantation genetic testing is highly accurate when a good-quality biopsy and a validated laboratory method are used. No laboratory test is perfect, however, and occasional inconclusive results, technical failures or the need for repeat testing do occur.
No. Embryo sex can only be established by testing embryos created in the laboratory, so a full IVF cycle with embryo biopsy is required. Sperm-sorting methods that are sometimes advertised are not reliable and are not offered here.
PGD is the older, broader term for testing embryos before transfer. PGT-A examines chromosome number, PGT-M looks for a specific single-gene condition, and PGT-SR looks for structural chromosome rearrangements. Which test applies depends on the medical reason for testing.
It may. The assessment depends on the specific condition, how it is inherited, its severity, and the documented family or carrier history. This is established through genetic counselling and, where appropriate, carrier testing before any IVF cycle is planned.
This is a realistic outcome and is discussed before treatment begins. Depending on your situation the options may include transferring another suitable embryo, storing embryos, or considering a further cycle. We make sure expectations are clear before you start.
If a sex-linked condition runs in your family, or you simply want to understand what is and is not permitted, our fertility specialists and genetic counsellors can talk it through with you.
Read more about PGD / PGT genetic testing or our detailed guide to PGD gender selection, benefits, risks and laws.
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