Many couples dream of raising a family with children of both genders. If you already have one or more children of the same gender, family balancing lets you plan your next child with a preference for the opposite gender, using IVF treatment combined with Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT).
You don’t need to have a fertility problem to consider this route. PGT-based IVF is also used to screen embryos for chromosomal issues and lower the risk of miscarriage — family balancing is simply an additional benefit of the same screening process. This service is offered only to couples who already have at least one child.
Preimplantation Genetic Testing screens the chromosomes of a developing embryo before it is transferred to the uterus. The test helps identify:
Eggs are first retrieved from the stimulated ovaries and fertilised with the partner’s sperm through ICSI. The embryos are cultured for 5–6 days to reach the blastocyst stage, at which point a small biopsy is taken, the embryo is frozen, and the biopsied cells are sent for full 24-chromosome screening.
PGT only analyses existing embryos — it cannot alter or create an embryo of a specific gender.
Once healthy embryos of the desired gender are identified, they are prepared for embryo transfer. A single embryo is usually transferred to avoid the risks of multiple pregnancy; transferring more than one is considered only in specific cases such as advanced maternal age or previous implantation failure, and is discussed in detail beforehand. Any additional healthy embryos can be frozen and preserved for future pregnancies.
PGT evaluates all 24 chromosomes with around 98% accuracy. A chromosomally screened embryo has a meaningfully better chance of successful implantation, which is why the desired-gender success rate is significantly higher with a PGT-guided IVF cycle.
That said, outcomes still depend on factors such as reproductive history, age, and individual diagnostics. Even without any underlying fertility issue, a PGT-IVF cycle cannot guarantee a specific pregnancy outcome.
If you are planning your next child and would like to explore family balancing, a personalised consultation is the best place to start.