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Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2019; 10 (3): 1-4 

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Ethical Implication of Genetic Gender Manipulation for Economic Recession  

Osebor Ikechukwu Monday1 Stephen CC Chukwuma Esq2.  

 

1. Lecturer: Department of Arts and Humanities Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku PmB 1030, Nigeria Email 

Osebormonday1@gmail.com, Osebordarry@yahoo.com, Orchid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2642-662X  

2. Senior Lecturer: Department of Arts and Humanities Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku PmB 1030, Nigeria 

 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bioethics.v10i3.50393  

 

Abstract: A recession is a significant decline in economic activities. The effects of economic 

recession include general economic decline, drop in the stock market and increase in 

unemployment. While some have argued that bilateral relationship among nations is an ethical 

response to problem of economic recession but it does not solve the problem. The paper suggests 

genetic gender determination. Genetic gender determination is an agent-based ethics. It involves 

the scientific manipulation of the fetus of a woman to determine the gender of her offspring. Ethical 

issues linked to genetic gender determination, unbalance sex ratio, manipulation of genome, and 

possible spread of infectious or communicable diseases. The paper concludes that the genetic 

gender determination would help to cushion the effects of economic recession. 

Keywords: Genetic gender determination, infectious and communicable diseases, economic 

recession and common good.

 

Introduction: The effects of economic 

recession include; inflation, bankruptcies, 

death, the rise in the price of goods and 

services, abnormal increases in 

unemployment, falls in the availability of 

credit, shrinking output and investment, 

reduction in the amounts of trade and 

commerce, as well as volatile relative 

currency value fluctuations. In addition, the 

effect of economic recession is intimate 

partner violence. The Intimate partner 

violence (IPV) is the “behaviors perpetrated 

by a person’s spouse or romantic partner that 

include physical violence, sexual violence, or 

psychological/emotional violence, including 

behavior designed to control a victim’s  

 

movements, interpersonal contacts, and 

access to financial resources”1. The Intimate  

partner violence (IPV) has led to the 

reproduction of babies, which one may be 

able to care.  

 

The economic benefits of a policy, legalizing 

genetic gender determination enable couples 

to determine their family size and balance the 

gender of their children. Gender 

determination might be nevertheless 

justified, if it addresses adequately the 

negative side effects of gender imbalance in 

society-the gender crisis. We maintain that it 

is morally justified to choose the gender of 

one’s offspring with the end of mitigating the 

harmful effects of an economic recession. 

 



Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2019; 10 (3): 1-4 

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However, the blame for a recession generally 

falls on the federal leadership of a 

country2.Governments do not manage the 

economic recession, through the approach of 

genetic gender determination. While some 

argue that genetic gender determination 

discourages reproductive autonomy but it 

discourages unplanned family hood. 

Recessions can alter family life by 

constraining the choices that individuals and couples 

make concerning their family lives and by activating 

the family’s role as an emergency support system 3. 

 

Genetic gender determination could lead to 

the manipulation of human genome for 

patriarchal reasons.   Men centric society 

portrays memorable inconsistent force 

relations between woman and men.4. Gender 

determination is ‘to pick a male child, which 

in turn perpetuates gender preference5. The 

objection to genetic gender determination is 

the irrational of a sexist society.  In a men 

centric society, productivity and performance 

of men is assumed generally to be highly 

rated, to women6. While we support the 

permissibly of gender selection, men-centric 

society is unethical, it repudiates human 

dignity and such a policy might be 

discriminatory against women. 

There are many solutions linked to problem 

of economic recession, increase bilateral 

relationship, devaluation of currency, 

consumption of homegrown food and many 

others.    In this paper, we are concerned with 

the ethical Implication of genetic gender 

determination for economic recession. First, 

let us discuss the background of gender 

determination. 

Background: The instinct to determine the 

gender of an offspring is as old as man is. In 

ancient Greece, it’s believed that if a man had 

sex with a woman, raising the right side of his 

legs, a boy will be conceived. In the 

eighteenth-century, it is also mythical that if 

a man ties off his left testicle while having 

sex with a woman, the woman will conceive 

a boy7. Christina et al. presented mythical 

views on gender determination; (a) preceding 

ovulation with an intercourse (b). A water 

and heating soft drink before intercourse (c) 

2 tablespoons of soft drink (d) profound 

entrance of male at the hour of climax8.  

A female child will be born if the following 

steps should be taken [a] Intercourse should 

stop 2 to 3 days before ovulation. 

(b)Intercourse before corrosive vaginal 

douche (c) 2 tablespoons of white vinegar per 

quart of water (d) No female climax. (d) 

Shallow entrances by the male at the hour of 

discharge (e) No restraint until definite 

intercourse 2 to 3 days before ovulation4.  

Timing of sexual intercourse is referred as 

Shettle’s method of gender determination.  

The calculation of women (ovulation) before 

sex helps to determine the gender of an 

offspring5. Gender of an offspring is dogged 

by strong and weak sperm cells. "Strong" 

sperm cell fertilizes an egg, the result is a 

male child and when "weak" cell sperm cell 

fertilizes an egg, the offshoot is a female 

child 5.  

The question is, how can we know the 

empirical distinctions between weak or 

strong sperm cells?  We contend that the 

claims of the ancient philosophers on gender 

determination are myths and probabilities.  

Sperm sorting: Sperm sorting is a genetic 

method of gender determination. Sperm 



Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2019; 10 (3): 1-4 

3 

 

sorting is the separation of X or Y-sperm 

cells. The sorted sperm cell artificially 

inseminated into a woman uterus for the 

desired gender9.   In spite of the fact that 

hundreds of healthy children have been born 

using sperm sorting, it is raises ethical issues, 

manipulation of human genome, long-term 

safety against infectious and communicable 

diseases.   

Pre-Implantation Diagnosis (PGD): "In 

vitro" is a Latin word for "within the glass"5.  

Pre-Implantation Diagnosis (PGD) involves 

in vitro fertilization of an egg to determine 

the gender of a baby. The mother's eggs and 

father's sperm are collected for fertilization in 

the laboratory. After three days of 

development, the fertilized eggs are 

examined for clinical re-implantation into the 

mother's uterus 10.  

The pre-implantation diagnosis is almost 

100% effective, but the procedure seems 

invasive, expensive, and controversial11. "In 

some of the fertility canters in Nigeria, PGD 

is in place and can be assessed, but we advise 

our patients that it is done in patients with a 

high index of the possibility of a sex-linked 

disorder" 9-12. Suppose the significant risk of 

gender determination will result a child with 

a disease or disability13.  The objection to 

gender determination we assume that the risk 

is significantly greater than the risk in normal 

pregnancy 

Ethical Issues: Genetic gender 

determination could lead to "gender 

eugenics” and the spread of virulent disease, 

which could lead to a tragedy of 

civilization14. It is an attempt to create a child 

as a means to an end. While we 

acknowledged the above assertion, now there 

is no evidence of the spread of virulent 

disease or design babies with human 

characteristics due to genetic gender 

determination.  

 Critics would say that gender determination 

is akin to "playing God." It is unnatural for a 

human being to interfere with the natural 

process of reproduction.  We contend that if 

nature had balanced the genders in a family 

hood, humankind wouldn’t strive for a 

balance. The human distortions of nature is 

the human desires for satisfaction and 

picking a balance for survival15. 

 Gender determination is an ethical response 

to avert X-linked genetic diseases among 

children. “Sex detection of fetus before 

delivery in the first trimester of pregnancy 

will prevent babies with abnormalities being 

born”16. However, the above assertion 

negates disability right but we maintain that 

it is morally right to adhere to the best 

consequence, for the common good of the 

society. 

Conclusion: A thorough examination of the 

pros and cons of gender determination, one 

would say that gender determination be 

approved to mitigate the effects of the 

economic recession. However, if it is 

approved by governments, it does not mean it 

cannot be regulated to avoid unethical 

practice among researchers, manipulating of 

the genome, gender preference or sex 

discrimination are obnoxious practices that 

must be regulated by law. 

References: 

1. .Lisa M, Sara H. The Great Recession, 

Families, and the Safety Net. Industrial 



Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2019; 10 (3): 1-4 

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Relations: A Journal of Economy and 

Societ.y. DECEMBER 19, 2018 available 

https://irle.berkeley.edu/the-great-

recession-families-and-the-safety-net/ (14 

September 2019). 

2. What is Economic Recession? Definition, 

Causes & Effects.  

https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-

economic-recession-definition-causes-

effects.html (14 September 2019). 

3. Andrew C, Erin C, Philip M. The Effects of the 

Great Recession on Family Structure and 

Fertility. The  Annals of  the America Academy 

of political  and Social science. September 25, 

2013. 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716213500643  

4. Ademiluka S. Patriarchy and Women Abuse. 

OTE 2018; 2(31):339-362 

5. Osebor I. Decriminalizing Social Sex Selection is 

a Negation of the Sociological Jurisprudence. 

Research & Reviews: Research Journal of 

Biology, 2018; 6(2): 1-5.  

http://www.rroij.com/open-

access/decriminalizing-social-sex-selection-is-a-

negation-of-thesociological-

jurisprudence.php?aid=87131 (14 September 

2019). 

6. Julian S. Making Better Babies: Pro And Con. 

Centre for Human Bioethics2013; 1-3.  

https://researchmgt.monash.edu/ws/portalfiles/po

rtal/252673815/2317892 (14 September 2019). 

7. The President's Council on Bioethics: Working 

Paper 3a. 2012;1-9. 

https://bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu/pcbe/ba

ckground/sex_selection.html (14 September 

2019). 

8. Christina R., Veit, M. and Raphael J. Gender Pre-

selection: Facts And Myths The American 

Fertility Society 1999; 49 (6):2-4. Available from 

https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-

0282(16)59940-3/pdf (14 September 2019). 

9. Q & A On Sex Gender Selection 2018. Available 

from https://louismedhospital.com.ng/q-a-on-

sex-gender-selection/  (14 September 2019). 

10. Richard E. and Kristin H. Gamete Transport and 

Fertilization, in Human Reproductive  Biology. 

2014; 1-6. Available from 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultura

l-and-biological-sciences/sperm-sorting (14 

September 2019). 

11. Sparrow R, Gender Eugenics? The Ethics Of PGD 

For Intersex Conditions. American Journal of 

Bioethics. 2013, 13(10):29-38. DOI: 

10.1080/15265161.2013.828115. 

12. World Health Organization Family 

planning/Contraception. 2018; 1-3.  

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact- (14 

September 2019) 

13. Michael L. Sperm Sorting Method Could Prevent 

Girls Being Born. 2019;1-5.  

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2213377-

sperm-sorting-method-could-prevent-girls-being-

born-scientists-warn/ (14 September 2019). 

14. Michelle L. and Richard R. Justice In The Context 

Of Family Balancing.  Science  Technol Human 

Values, 2013; 1(2): 38.  

https://doi.org/10.1177/0162243912469412   

15. Matthew L. Reproduction The Ethics Of Using 

Genetic Engineering For Sex Selection. Journal of 

medical ethics, 2003 (3)30: 465–71. 

http:.//dx.doi.org/10.1136/jme.  

16. Amir AR, Mohammad H S, Ghasem A, and Jalal 

I M.Prenatal sex determination in suspicious 

cases of X-linked recessive diseases by the 

amelogenin gene Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2014 Feb; 

17(2): 134–137 

 

Author Contribution: The 1st author Osebor 

Ikechukwu Monday conceived the idea, did 

the literature review and wrote the 

manuscript. The 2nd author Stephen CC 

Chukwuma checked and edited the 

manuscript meticulously. 

 

Conflict of Interest: No Conflict of Interest 

 


