OK. Do you think a couple should be able choose between having a daughter or son?

[MADem]

28. In India, though illegal, it is not unheard of for sex selection to occur as a consequence of

ultrasound followed by abortion. In China, too, land of the one child family, this happens, and there are more boys than girls...many of the girls are in North America and in Europe, now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex-selective_abortion

I suppose if there was a way to easily pre-select the gender without invasive procedures, it would be easier on the mother if the parents are bound and determined to have that boy first and foremost.

In time, the "value" (in quotes because I am being ironic, not literal) of a woman in these cultures will skyrocket. Scarcity has a way of doing that--it would be nice to see the tables turned.

It's a shame that people still give a crap what gender of child they have. If you have a healthy kid you are lucky. If you raise that kid, healthy or not, with love and nurturing and compassion, odds are that you're going to end up with a good human being.