Gender selection and family balancing in Dubai
Knowing the sex of an embryo before transfer is possible through IVF with preimplantation genetic testing. Dr. Shami offers it within the rules that apply in the UAE, and explains plainly what it involves.
What it is
Gender selection is not a separate treatment. It is IVF, in which embryos are tested before transfer (PGT) and the test reports the sex of each embryo along with its chromosomes. An embryo of the desired sex is then chosen for transfer.
Because it requires a full IVF cycle, it carries the same steps, the same commitment and the same medical considerations as any IVF cycle. The genetic testing is done in the clinic's own laboratory.
Who it is available to
Medically assisted reproduction in the UAE is regulated by federal law, and the clinic follows the rules that apply at the time of your treatment. Eligibility, documentation and any conditions attached are explained by Dr. Shami at the first consultation, before any planning begins. If the rules do not permit it in your situation, she will tell you so directly.
Family balancing is discussed as one part of a fertility plan, never as a promise. The number of embryos of each sex cannot be known in advance, and not every cycle produces an embryo of the sex hoped for.
How Dr. Shami approaches it
- 1
Rules first
She explains what is permitted and what is required in your case before any medical planning starts.
- 2
A real IVF plan
The cycle is planned around your fertility, not only around the sex of the embryo, so that your health and your chances come first.
- 3
Honest expectations
You will know before you start that the outcome depends on how many healthy embryos of each sex your cycle produces.
Dr. Ghina Shami
Questions patients ask
Is gender selection legal in Dubai?
The UAE regulates medically assisted reproduction by federal law, and the clinic practises within those rules. Whether it is available in your case depends on the current regulations and your circumstances; Dr. Shami explains this at your first consultation.
How accurate is the test?
PGT identifies the sex of an embryo with very high accuracy, because it reads the chromosomes directly. Dr. Shami and the laboratory will explain the small limitations of any genetic test.
Does it require IVF even if we have no fertility problem?
Yes. Embryos can only be tested if they are created in the laboratory, so a full IVF cycle with stimulation, egg collection and embryo culture is needed.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Ghina Shami, Consultant Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility · September 2026
Tell Dr. Shami where you are in your journey
A message on WhatsApp is enough to start. She replies personally, in English or Arabic.