Parents involved in IVF programmes could soon get the right to choose the sex of their child, if the Government follows the advice of its Bioethics Council.
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The council, a ministerial advisory committee, will today give the Government a report which says individuals are in the best position to make decisions about sex selection.
The report -- titled Who Gets Born? -- says the sex of embryos created outside the mother's body, under programmes such as IVF (in vitro fertilisation), should be chosen by parents, allowing them to gender-balance their families, The New Zealand Herald newspaper reported today.
The council's recommendation relates specifically to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD.
That is when embryos are created outside a mother's womb so they can be tested for likely inherited genetic conditions.
Under laws introduced in 2004, sex selection is banned except where it is part of treatment for a genetic disorder or disease.
It is also banned in Australia and the United Kingdom, but is allowed in the United States.
Penalties for breaches are jail terms of up to five years or a fine of up to $200,000.
Bioethics Council chairman Associate Professor Martin Wilkinson said the feeling of the council and the feedback it had received in writing the report was key decisions like sex should be left to parents.
"Ultimately decisions should be made by parents," he told Radio New Zealand.
The report also says research should be done into using embryos created in pre-birth testing to help sick siblings. Currently that can be done for sick siblings with an inherited disorder, but it is not allowed for other disorders.
The report says that distinction should be removed.
The council, an independent body, spent a year gathering the views of more than 700 people for the report.
It says the recommendations are its view, but also reflect the wishes of those who took part in the research.
