United Press International (Dec 23, 2010) have reported that a majority of Australians believe that gender selection of babies, through IVF or abortion should be illegal.
According to the article, the 'Australian Survey of Societal Attitudes' in conjunction with a "series of in depth parental interviews" was conducted by the School of Population Health, at the University of Melbourne. This study analyzed responses from 2,500 people which revealed that 69 % of Australians did not support IVF for sex selection purposes and 80% percent opposed abortion for gender selection. It reported that 11 percent thought that a "hypothetical blue or pink pill to select the sex of a child should be legal".
UPI quoted Kippen, who lead the researchers: "Opposition to these technologies was grounded in three major concerns: The potential for distorted sex ratios; that sex selection can be an expression of gender bias; and a concern about 'designer infants' being created, when parents should be happy with a healthy baby," Kippen noted in the article that previous research "indicated Australian parents want a balanced family -- a family with at least one son and one daughter".
Of concern is reference in the article to "a review of 2004 guidelines -- which have the force of law -- that ban sex selection except to reduce the risk of a serious genetic condition", set to happen in 2011.
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