Sperm Sorting – Overview and Legal Status by Country
Sperm sorting is a technique used to select sperm carrying either an X (female) or Y (male) chromosome before fertilization, allowing for the selection of the baby’s biological sex. This process is commonly sought for family balancing, genetic disease prevention, or personal preference.
Sperm sorting refers to a laboratory procedure where sperm are separated based on the chromosome they carry:
Common Techniques:
MicroSort claims ~90% accuracy for female selection, ~75% for male.
YES, sperm sorting is legal in the United States.
However, PGT-A purely for gender selection is a controversial topic and not offered by all clinics.
NO, sperm sorting and gender selection for non-medical reasons is prohibited in Canada.
However, many Canadian residents travel to the USA or other countries where it is legal for gender selection.
Here’s a country-by-country overview:
| Country | Legal for Non-Medical Gender Selection? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USA |  Yes | Widely available with IVF/PGT-A and MicroSort |
| Canada |  No | Only allowed for preventing sex-linked disorders |
| Mexico | Yes | Legal and offered in many IVF clinics |
| Ukraine | Yes | Often used with IVF + PGT-A |
| Georgia | Yes | Popular destination for medical tourism |
| UK | No | Only allowed for medical reasons |
| Australia | No | Gender selection banned for non-medical reasons |
| India | No | Illegal due to concerns over female foeticide |
| Thailand | No (officially) | Some clinics offer under “medical tourism”, but it’s a gray area |
| Cyprus | Yes | Popular IVF destination, especially for Europeans |
| Turkey | No | Not allowed under medical ethics regulations |
| Dubai (UAE) | No | Gender selection is illegal for non-medical purposes |
Top Legal Destinations:
United States
High-end clinics, MicroSort, IVF + PGT-A
Mexico
Lower cost, less regulation
Ukraine / Georgia
Affordable options, legal framework
Cyprus
Popular for EU residents seeking gender selection
Instead of sperm sorting, most accurate modern method is:
Create embryos via IVF
Test each embryo’s DNA via PGT-A
Select male or female embryos for transfer
This is legal in the U.S., Mexico, Ukraine, etc., and bypasses the limitations of sperm sorting accuracy.
| Country | Legal for Non-Medical Gender Selection? | Preferred Method |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Yes | MicroSort, IVF + PGT-A |
| Canada | No (Medical Only) | Travel abroad |
| Mexico | Yes | IVF + PGT-A |
| UK / EU (most) | No | Only for medical reasons |
| Ukraine / Georgia | Yes | IVF + PGT-A |
Over the last decade, the dominant technique used to determine gender prior to conception has always been pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD. The newest alternative, sperm gender selection, is a technique designed to separate and sort X (female) or Y (male) chromosomal sperm. This sorted sperm can then be fertilized with an egg via intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) to produce a child of the desired gender.
The sperm gender selection process involves several steps. Initially, the sperm is passed through a series of gradient solutions. The sorted sperm is then frozen for transportation, and then transferred at the right time to the female via intrauterine insemination (IUI), the most popular choice, or used during an IVF cycle. Alternatively, a semen sample may be frozen and then submitted through sperm gender selection after thawing.
Sperm gender selection for female offspring is currently more successful than sperm gender selection for male offspring. Though the technology for sperm gender selection used can produce a significant majority of X or Y-bearing sperm in a final sample, there is no guarantee of producing the desired sex. Sperm gender selection cannot completely exclude female or male sperm cells; however, it can produce a sperm sample that contains a higher percentage of male or female sperm cells, increasing the odds of producing a child of the desired sex.
Success rates for gender selection using sperm separation is 70-75 percent for both male and female.
If sex selection is important to you, we can send you a sperm collection kit. You can collect your sperm sample in your own home, follow directions on the collection kit and send it to the address of the laboratory in the USA for processing. The sperm processing lab will then send it directly to our affiliated IVF Clinic in India. Sperm sex selection processing costs average around $1,500 and transportation costs for the sperm to India average around $800. You will pay the laboratory directly by credit card or check.
For more details, please send us an email to Info@indianeggdonors.com or call us at 1-212-661-7673. We look forward to being of assistance.
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