Quick Summary

Hello, I’m Dr. Supriya Puranik, an IVF specialist and gynaecologist based in Pune with over two decades of experience helping couples build their families.

One of the most common questions I hear in my clinic is, “Doctor, can IVF guarantee us a baby boy?” The short answer is no — IVF itself does not guarantee any specific gender.

While a related technology called PGT (Preimplantation Genetic Testing) can identify the sex of an embryo with very high accuracy, using it purely to choose a boy or girl is illegal in India under the PCPNDT Act, and it is not something any ethical fertility clinic, including mine, will offer.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through what IVF actually does, what the law says, why gender selection isn’t the right goal, and what you should focus on instead for a healthy pregnancy.

What Is IVF, In Simple Words?

IVF, or In Vitro Fertilisation, is a fertility treatment where I retrieve eggs from the mother, fertilise them with sperm in a lab, and then transfer the resulting embryo(s) into the uterus.

I recommend IVF to couples dealing with blocked tubes, low sperm count, unexplained infertility, endometriosis, PCOS, or after failed IUI attempts.

The goal of IVF is simple: to help you conceive a healthy baby. It was never designed as, and should never be used as, a tool to pick a boy or a girl.

So Where Does the “Baby Boy” Idea Come From?

This confusion usually comes from a technique called PGT (Preimplantation Genetic Testing), sometimes still called PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis).

During PGT, I take a tiny biopsy from the embryo before transfer to screen it for genetic and chromosomal abnormalities.

As a side effect of this screening, we can also see whether the embryo is XX (girl) or XY (boy).

Here’s the important part I always tell my patients: just because we can see the sex of the embryo does not mean we are allowed to choose it for non-medical reasons.

Is Gender Selection Through IVF Legal in India?

No, it is not. In India, sex selection — before or after conception, and by any method including IVF and PGT — is strictly prohibited under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994.

This law exists because of the historically skewed sex ratio in our country caused by a preference for male children.

As a doctor, I follow this law strictly, and so does every licensed fertility clinic in India. Attempting sex selection, or a doctor disclosing gender for non-medical reasons, can lead to criminal charges, heavy fines, and loss of medical license.

I want to be very clear with all my patients: my role is to help you have a healthy child, not to select a boy or a girl.

When Is Embryo Sex Testing Allowed?

PGT is legally used only for medical reasons, such as:

• Screening for sex-linked genetic disorders (for example, certain conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy or haemophilia are passed on through specific chromosomes, and in rare, medically documented cases, identifying embryo sex helps avoid passing on a serious inherited disease)
• Checking for chromosomal abnormalities that affect the health of the pregnancy, regardless of gender
• Recurrent miscarriage or repeated implantation failure work-up

In these situations, the sex information appears as part of the genetic report, but it is used to protect the child’s health — never to fulfil a preference for a boy or a girl.

Even With PGT, Is It 100% Guaranteed?

No test in medicine is ever 100% guaranteed, and I always set realistic expectations with my patients. PGT is highly accurate for identifying chromosomal sex, but IVF success overall still depends on many factors:

• Embryo quality and development
• The uterine lining and its receptiveness
• The mother’s age and ovarian reserve
• Underlying health conditions
• How well the embryo implants after transfer

So even in countries or medical situations where sex selection is legally permitted for family balancing, doctors cannot promise a guaranteed outcome — biology always has the final say.

Why I Discourage Focusing on Gender at All

In my years of practice, I’ve counselled hundreds of families, and I always encourage them to shift their focus away from “boy vs girl” and toward having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. A few reasons I share with my patients:

1. It’s not fully controllable, and chasing a guarantee that doesn’t exist only adds stress to an already emotional journey.
2. It’s against the law in India, and no responsible clinic will help you bypass this.
3. A healthy baby, regardless of gender, is the real success story of any fertility treatment.

What You Should Actually Focus On Before Starting IVF

Instead of worrying about gender, here is what I ask my patients to prioritise:

• Getting a thorough fertility work-up for both partners
• Managing weight, thyroid function, and vitamin D/B12 levels
• Reducing stress and getting adequate sleep
• Avoiding smoking, alcohol, and excess caffeine
• Choosing an experienced IVF specialist and an accredited lab
• Being realistic about timelines and number of cycles that may be needed

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does IVF determine the baby’s gender automatically? No. A standard IVF cycle does not select or determine gender. Only an additional step, PGT, can reveal the embryo’s sex, and that information cannot legally be used to choose a boy or girl in India.
2. Can I request a baby boy during my IVF treatment in India? No, I cannot fulfil such a request, and no licensed clinic can either. It is a punishable offence under the PCPNDT Act.
3. What is the difference between PGT and PGD? PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis) originally referred to testing for specific known genetic diseases in the embryo, while PGT (Preimplantation Genetic Testing) is the newer, broader term that includes testing for chromosomal abnormalities (PGT-A), single-gene disorders (PGT-M), and structural rearrangements (PGT-SR).
4. Are there any “natural” methods to guarantee a baby boy? No natural method — diet, timing, positions, or over-the-counter kits — can guarantee the sex of a baby. These claims are not backed by strong scientific evidence.
5. What determines whether a baby is a boy or a girl? The sperm decides it. Every egg carries an X chromosome, while sperm carry either an X or a Y chromosome. If a Y-carrying sperm fertilises the egg, the baby is genetically male (XY); if an X-carrying sperm fertilises it, the baby is female (XX).
6. What is the success rate of IVF? IVF success rates vary based on age, cause of infertility, embryo quality, and clinic expertise. I always evaluate each couple individually rather than quoting a generic number, because your specific case matters more than an average statistic.
7. Who should consider IVF treatment? Couples with blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, low sperm count or motility, ovulation disorders, endometriosis, unexplained infertility, or those who haven’t conceived after trying for a year (or six months if the woman is over 35) should consult a fertility specialist.

A Personal Note From Dr. Supriya Puranik

I started my journey in reproductive medicine because I witnessed first-hand how devastating it can be for families when access to timely, ethical fertility care is missing.

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of helping thousands of couples across Pune and beyond — from women with very low AMH to those who had faced multiple failed IVF and IUI cycles elsewhere — achieve successful, healthy pregnancies through ICSI, IVF, IUI, and comprehensive fertility care.

If you’re considering IVF and have questions about your specific situation, I’d encourage you to come in for a proper consultation rather than rely on assumptions or myths.

Together, we can build a treatment plan focused on what truly matters: your health and a healthy baby.

This blog is intended for general educational purposes and does not replace a personalised medical consultation. Please speak with a qualified fertility specialist to discuss your individual circumstances.

• 

• About Author

  Dr. Supriya Puranik

  Gynaecologist & IVF Specialist
  
  MMC -072514 (1993)

Dr. Supriya Puranik, a renowned gynaecologist and infertility expert, leads the IVF & Gynaecology department at Sahyadri Hospitals Momstory in Shivaji Nagar, Pune. She is committed to helping couples overcome infertility challenges.