Frequently Asked Questions

How can I contact The Silverman Center for Gender Selection?

You can call the Dr. Silverman's office at (914) 722-9300. You can also e-mail the center.

Is the Ericsson method of gender preselection safe for the mother?

Experience indicates that pregnancy resulting from sperm isolation is not different from one achieved naturally. The likelihood of miscarriage is the same as it is for pregnancy resulting from natural conception - one in four pregnancies.

Is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) safe for the mother?

Women choosing PGD must undergo an in vitro fertilization cycle to cause the development of multiple eggs. IVF requires the administration of drugs (FSH) which can cause side effects. Dr. Silverman is highly trained which minimizes the chance for side effects and thousands of IVF cycles have been conducted with little or no side effects.

What if I have low ovarian reserve or am perimenopausal?

Women who have "failing ovaries" who are otherwise in good health can use an egg donor. The donor's cycle is synched with the mothers and donor undergoes and IVF cycle. Her eggs are harvested and combined with the husbands sperm to produce embryos which will undergo PGD.

Is it safe for the baby?

Studies show that there is no greater occurrence of birth defects in babies conceived by artificial insemination than in those conceived naturally. In fact, artificial insemination can be used to preselect a gender which might prevent certain congenital birth defects (that might more likely be present in one gender than in another). However, the outcome with IUI cannot be guaranteed. Patients at risk for serious sex linked birth defects should consider preimplantation genetic diagnosis where success rates are much higher.

Years of experience with in vitro fertilization and the Ericsson method demonstrate that children born using these procedures do not have an increased risk of birth defects.

How often do the parents-to-be using the Ericsson method have to see Dr. Silverman?

It takes an average of three monthly cycles to conceive. Each time The Ericsson Method selection procedure is performed there is a separate charge for the procedure. Within six months of monthly inseminations, 80% of the women will become pregnant.

How often do the parents-to-be using the IVF/PGD method have to see Dr. Silverman?

Since ovulation inducing drugs are administered, it is necessary to see Dr. Silverman more frequently for monitoring. These visits involve ultrasound visualization of the developing follicles and measurement of the hormone estradiol. The number of visits depends upon each patient's response and can vary from 3 to 6 (rare).

How about confidentiality?

No information about you will be released without your authorization. The process is totally confidential.

Could our sperm sample be confused with someone else's?

Absolutely not. Our lab procedure is strictly controlled on an individual patient basis.

Is our gender selection guaranteed?

Ericsson Method

The outcome of a pregnancy conceived by the Ericsson procedure cannot be guaranteed. X and Y chromosome bearing sperm cannot be totally isolated. Approximately 70-75% of the time, couples have a baby of their choice.

PGD

In science and nature, there are very few "absolutes". With PGD we determine the sex(s) of the embryo(s) prior to transferring them back to the mother. Therefore, if pregnancy occurs the chance that the baby will be of the chosen gender is high.

Is it ethical?

This is a personal decision you, as a couple, will have to make. In some cases it might be medically called for to avoid congenital defects such as hemophilia or Duchene muscular dystrophy. Experience has shown that most couples use gender selection techniques for a 2nd or 3rd child to achieve a balance between boys and girls.

How much does the Ericsson method or preimplantation genetic diagnosis cost?

See the section on "Cost" for complete details. The Ericsson method is less expensive than PGD but the outcome is not as predictable.