Parents could be banned from finding out sex of baby

Stifler's - posted on 10/07/2011

They should ban sexism. And one child policies. And anyone who aborts a baby over the sex from having kids ever.

Starfish - posted on 10/05/2011

I'd rather people abort a baby they didn't want over having a baby they didn't want...because then it becomes so much worse.

What they should be focusing on is discouraging such sexist viewpoints. But that would require real effort, and lots of time and energy, and is not as simple as a ban.


And while this ban wouldn't affect me due to me being in the US, I want to retain the right to find out the gender of my baby. Even now, I'm about 6 weeks in, and I'm wishing and wishing and wishing I could find out sooner what I'm having, because I want to know who I'm carrying around with me! To me, it's important.

Susanne - posted on 10/05/2011

I think Europe should keep their noses out of other peoples business. I found out the sex on all 4 of my kids because i wanted to, did i care that kids were all boys nope i was still happy and excited. I dont see why it should be taken away just because there a sickos out there who are obsessed with having the right sex baby.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 10/02/2011

I didn't find out with either baby and I just called them "baby." I loved waiting to find out. My second was born at a birth center in the tub so I pulled her up to me and everyone asked. I was the one who got to look and let everyone know. It was awesome. I have nothing against anyone else finding out. If I did find out I would prefer the the U/S tech write it down and put it in an envelope so we could share it with family.

I do find it odd that there are that many people aborting babies because of sex. I'm sure this is only an issue in very small parts of Europe, but I suppose if they're trying to make it a law then it's a big enough issue to them.

Katherine - posted on 10/02/2011

It's true laura, i felt the same way

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/02/2011

I was called sexist because I felt i hadn't totally bonded until I knew the sexes.
It's not boy or girl i needed to know I guess it was more their name I needed

Jessica - posted on 10/02/2011

I knew a girl who said she had no problem calling her baby "it" because it wouldn't really feel like a baby to her until she was holding it in her arms anyway. So sad that some mothers don't bond with their babies in the womb, and that some women think bonding with an "it" is as sufficient as bonding with a he or a she.

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/02/2011

I'm not worried since I can easily tell boy from girl on ultrasounds so if they refused to tell me id still know :)
To me, knowing the sex is necessary for bonding as i need to be able to talk to my baby by name and without saying 'it'

Angela - posted on 09/26/2011

This is a very silly attempt to tackle a problem with a select few member states. If they want to tackle the problem get rid of the poverty in some of these states that fuels this issue. Simply not telling these parents the sex will not stop them from just abandoning or killing baby girls. It happens all the time in many countries with poverty issues.

I say to the EC DEAL WITH THE POVERTY or don't let them become member states make real stand.

The E.C. needs a big smack on the head for this proposal. More laws or bans will not make the problem go away but will take individual rights away.

Rosie - posted on 09/24/2011

i have a hard time believing so many people are aborting their babies in europe because of it's sex. i see no difference between this and as a form of birth control, so really what's the difference? maybe they should wait to give scans until 24 weeks, if they feel this is a huge problem? but for now, i don't see the problem.

Jessica - posted on 09/23/2011

I don't know. I don't agree with abortion at all personally, but I would rather a microscopic cluster of cells be destroyed than a child live in a neglectful potentially abusive situation when they can form memories and be traumatized by the experience.

April - posted on 09/23/2011

i support choice within reason (not based on gender, sex, religion, etc...). unfortunately, there is not a "within reason" law in most states. i am pro-life for myself, could never abort and most likely wouldn't encourage a future daughter to either. 1. it's fair to put a ban (after all, ultrasounds a newer technology) 2. against abortion based on gender

Jenni - posted on 09/23/2011

I honestly would think, in most developed countries, gender selection abortions are *rare*. But seriously, what's the difference between a woman having the right to abort based on gender vs. the right to abort as a form of BC? Both are no less than dispicable acts according to most people. But I also feel that abortions based on either reason (multiple abortions as a form a BC) are the minority.



Why not just push the allowed gestational age to find out the gender to beyond the allowed gestational age to get an abortion?



And yes, I agree... look at the gendercide in China and India, for example. I doubt it would reach such proportions and levels of mass cruelity in Europe... but an unwanted baby, is an unwanted baby.



Being pro-choice to me doesn't mean I have to agree with a woman or family's reasons for abortion. It just means, it's not my place to make the decision. It means, I think the detrimentalities of unwanted babies and children is a far greater evil. As well as the maternal death rates from illegal abortions.

Katherine - posted on 09/23/2011

Jessica, I did the same thing, I was hoping and dreaming of having a little girl, called my belly she all the time. When I was told it was a boy I defiently didn't believe the tech until i saw my son flaunting his stuff across the monitor!!!! I cried right there on the table. But within a short period of time I was so excited because he was healthy and growing well and he was our baby!!!

We can always try for another baby at another time!!!

I couldn't imagine aborting my baby because it was of the "wrong" sex, how can you be pregnant with this baby inside of you for up wards of 20 or so, bonding, talking to it, rubbing your belly and then abort it???

Jessica - posted on 09/23/2011

Thank God we live in a country where gendercide isn't a big issue then. I would be extremely pissed off if the option was taken away, and I don't believe it should be forced on everyone else who DOES agree with being able to find out the sex. I cried when I found out I was having a boy. Right there in the room with the tech, my parents and husband standing right there. I didn't want a boy, I wanted a girl. Now that I have a boy, I wouldn't have it any other way. There's no way I would have given up my baby either way.

Maybe to offset this, instead of taking the right away from parents who are capable of handling it no matter what the sex, we make prenatal counseling required for those who may be at a high risk for aborting for any reasons, including gendercide. That's less invasive and offensive to the rights of those parents who want to find out.

Kellie - posted on 09/22/2011

I am totally fine with Abortion, It is not my decision to make as to what another woman decides to do with the cards she is dealt, and I refuse to judge another person for their choices in that regard.

However having said that, Gendercide is more prevalent than people know, particularly in countries such as India and China, and while I do find it distasteful to terminate a life because they are not the sex you want, the alturnative is that child is potentially being horiffically abused/mistreated etc because he/she is not the he/she the parents wanted and already had a hateful view of the child before birth.

Personally I'm all for gender selection, it's not something I'd use or want to use, I simply don't care enough about what sex my child would be, but there ARE people out there that care so much they'll terminate a healthy life to try to get the sex they want. Why not allow those that care that much to use gender selection?

We had a man and woman here terminate a twin pregnancy because they found out it was boys and they wanted a girl, they are currently fighting for the right to use the gender selection process.

Caitlin - posted on 09/22/2011

I know and have heard of some areas around here that will not tell you for this reason. 2 people I know were unable to find out due to this reason. I dont' really think it matters. With my first I didn't know, so I painted the room green and bought gender neutral sleepers for the first 3 months. It didn't make things harder, the next 2 times I foudn out just so I could sort through the clothes beforehand, but didn't really care for any other reason.

This may all be because I disagree with putting babies into gender-specific colours and themed rooms from the get go anyways though.

I don't think it's right that a woman should be able to choose to abort her baby based on the gender, so I don't dissagree with hospitals and publicly funded clinics to not disclose that information. If the parents wants to know THAT badly, let them pay out of pocket for it.

Jessica - posted on 09/22/2011

Jasmine brings up a good point.

I had a miserable pregnancy. Severe morning sickness on top of it being a very much unexpected surprise, and I was a total wreck, physically and emotionally. I didn't start to feel better about everything I was going through until we found out we were having a little boy. Take that away from me, and I would not have made it through the pregnancy intact.

Jasmine - posted on 09/21/2011

I think sex selective abortions just provides fuel for the idea that women are flippant and willy nilly about having an abortion. It's a tough issue. I wanted to find out the sex of my kids during pregnancy so we could decide on a name and plan the nursery and what not. Plus I was just too excited to wait until the delivery

Katherine - posted on 09/21/2011

We also find out at our 20 week scan if baby is being cooperative!!!

I find it unreal that they want to ban finding out the sex, as after the 20 week mark you are unable to abort legally anyways.

I can't say that I am totally against abortion....but only for certain reasons personally. That being said, I am TOTALLY against aborting one of my own due to the fact they are the oposite sex that I wanted/hoped for.

Johnny - posted on 09/21/2011

Here we can not find out until the 20 week scan, at which point the limit for elective abortion has really passed. Not legally, but it isn't available anywhere regardless.

Prior to this rule there was some issues with gender specific abortions in certain communities. The rule was put in place to stop it.

Sometimes they will tell you before, if they think it is safe. It's more a policy than a law. My girlfriend had IVF to conceive, and was moving to Sweden for 2 years right around the 20 week mark. She already had a son, so she was trying to figure out if she should ship all his clothes and stuff to Sweden for the new baby or not. So the hospital agreed to tell her at 16 weeks so she could plan ahead. I think they were confident that her intentions were pure.

Jessica - posted on 09/21/2011

No freaking way in hell do I agree with selective abortions based on gender. A baby is a baby, and there are way too many women out there who would adopt that baby, no matter what the gender. I don't believe in banning finding out the sex, but I believe maybe in banning finding out the sex early enough for a legal abortion. Once you're past the point of selecting to abort based on gender, then you can know.

Tanya - posted on 09/21/2011

Personally, I think it's the parents' business what they do with their child. Do I think it's disgusting to abort the "wrong" gender? Absolutely! Do I think they deserve to have children? Nope! But it's THEIR kid(s), not mine, therefore not my decision to make, nor anybody else's.

I had many reasons for wanting to know, and I would have been PISSED if somebody had prevented me from knowing! I was shocked and thrilled BOTH times to find out I was having a boy!

Jen - posted on 09/21/2011

It's become a terrible problem in China thanks to their 1 child rule. Their female population is dropping.

Toni - posted on 09/21/2011

I do think too many people find out the sex of the baby but with that said I don't think it should be banned. It isn't a necessity to know the sex of the baby for most people (the exceptions being those with medical reasons) but a lot of people do like knowing and for most it does no harm them knowing, to me this is another preventative measure that is likely to affect the majority to stop a minority doing something immoral (in the uk I don't know enough about other countries sex selection).

In the uk most parents don't find out until the 20 week scan and so cannot just get an abortion unless there are medical reasons so it really isn't a big issue in the uk (on the NHS, they can pay privately to find out earlier) and of course they aren't always accurate for finding out the sex. I don't like abortion at anytime so I find doing it because you have the 'wrong' sex abhorrent.