The Gulf News has reported that now during pregnancy, women in UAE can take a test to determine the sex of their unborn baby. The test, ‘pink or blue’ is offered for the first time in UAE. Medsol is offering the test in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Medsol is a part of Gulf Healthcare International and is a leading provider of pathology testing services in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region.
Pink or Blue® is a unique DNA-based test that tells you whether you are having a boy or girl at 10 weeks after the start of your last menstrual period, approximately 7 weeks post-conception. Pink or Blue® is based on the latest DNA gender testing technology. The test analyzes fetal DNA found in the mother’s blood. It is known that there is fetal DNA in an expectant mother’s blood. In a natural process, fetal cells die and pass into the mother’s bloodstream. As these cells break down, their DNA is released into the mother’s own circulatory system. The cells decompose and free DNA is released into the mother’s bloodstream. Using a small sample of the mother’s blood, we can determine if there is Y-specific chromosomal DNA. If we detect Y-specific chromosomal DNA, the fetus is male. If there is no Y-specific chromosomal DNA, the fetus is a female. Remember, females have 2 X chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y chromosome. Usually ultrasounds are used for medical and/or health reasons and not just for checking the sex of the baby. Studies have shown that ultrasounds have an accuracy rate of less than 85% before 12 weeks and are greater than 98% accurate at 21 weeks post-conception. Also it can take from five to six months to tell the gender of your baby using the ultrasound.