- Preconception Sex Selection Helps to Avoid Genetic Diseases

BASEL, Switzerland, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MicroSort(R) preconception sex selection through sperm sorting will be available for the first time in Switzerland beginning in July 2013.  Developed by Genetics & IVF Institute in the US, MicroSort is being introduced in Switzerland through the Klinik fur gyn. Endokrinologie und Reproduktionsmedizin at the Universitatsspital Basel. 

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MicroSort increases the likelihood of conceiving a child of a particular gender by separating sperm so that it is enriched for either male or female producing sperm.  Sorted sperm is used either for intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). 

More than 500 sex-linked or sex-limited genetic diseases, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy and hemophilia, appear to affect primarily or exclusively individuals of one sex.   By using MicroSort to conceive a child of the sex that is unaffected by the disease, parents can avoid transmitting these genetic diseases to their children.

Scientists at the Universitatsspital Basel conducted their own study on MicroSort.  Their report concludes that, "The staining of spermatozoa with specific markers and sorting with flow cytometry provides a means of preventing significant disease in the offspring and may help in reducing the number of surplus embryos needed for preimplantation genetic diagnosis."

Studies in the US have demonstrated that of patients using MicroSort(R) to have a girl, approximately 93% of those who became pregnant conceived a female baby.  Of those sorting for a boy, approximately 85% of those who became pregnant conceived a male baby. Patients who want even greater certainty can combine MicroSort(R) with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to achieve almost 100% certainty in sex selection.

For more information on MicroSort, visit www.microsort.com or www.ivf-basel.ch.

SOURCE MicroSort