Boy Birthin'

When they analyzed some of California's birth statistics, a group of economists discovered that Asian women were more likely to have male children than those of other races. Turns out that modern medical technology may be a boon to immigrants from countries such as India and China where male children are more valued than females. While the most common form of sex selection for pregnant women has been and probably still is good old fashioned abortion, some families are spending as much as $18,000 for a procedure called PGD, preimplantation genetic diagnosis. With PGD, fertilized embryos are harvested and analyzed as to their gender after a few cell divisions. Then the male embryos can be implanted into the womb. In many cultures, male children are seen as something of a status symbol, and sex selection has its roots in the concept of the male being the heir of the family name and fortune. Fortunately, there are no reported cases of female infanticide in the U.S., as opposed to other countries where families have been known to simply murder their girls after birth. Personally, I have mixed feelings about this whole thing. On the one hand, I don't think the world needs any more men, since we haven't done the best job with it all these years. But on the other, I have to admit to being tempted by the idea of genetic birth selection. Right now we can choose to have boys or girls, but I'm hoping in the future technology like PGD can be used to give me a sun with fully functional wings and laser-shooting eyes. Because I've always wanted to be the Emperor of the Universe's dear old dad. More details here.