Deccan Chronicle

A BABY’S GENDER DEPENDS ON THE FATHER, NOT MOTHER!

Most ignorant families blame the woman when a girl-child is born, but it’s not her fault at all

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It was recently reported that a (woman) politica leader committed suicide in Uttar Pradesh allegedly because her husband and in-laws pres sured her to beget only a male child and she wa unable to withstand the strain.

This is not an isolated instance. The news wa highlighte­d because the victim was a politician Such things often happen in semi-urban and rura areas of India, based on the mistaken belief tha only male offspring will take care of aged parent and are financiall­y less of a burden. Many preg nancies are aborted if the baby is expected to b female, and even after a child is born, female infan ticide is practiced.

The gender of a child is determined by the par ents’ chromosome­s (packages of hereditary materi al contained in every body cell). The nuclei of mos cells hold 23 pairs of chromosome­s. When a cel splits into two to build or repair body tissues, it chromosome­s double up and divide so that each new daughter cell also receives 23 pairs. But sperm and the ova are differ ent. They each have only 23 chro mosomes, no pairs, one of which carries a sex-deter mining factor.

In other words when an egg cell i produced in a woman, it will have 22 chromosome which contain various hereditary material and on chromosome (XX) which has the sex determinin factor, namely X. Similarly, when a sperm cell is pro duced in the male, in addition to 22 chromosome­s o hereditary material, it will have one chromosom with the sex determinin­g factor, which can be eithe ‘X’ or ‘Y’. If an egg is fertilized by a sperm contain ing the ‘X’ chromosome, the resulting child wil have two ‘X’ chromosome­s and therefore will b female. If fertilizat­ion is by a sperm with a ‘Y’ chro mosome, then the child will have one ’X’ and one ‘Y chromosome and so will be male.

It is therefore the father/man who is responsibl for determinin­g the sex (gender) of the child and not the mother.

Dear prospectiv­e parents, whether your child is boy or a girl, the baby is your precious bundle of joy Accept and cherish the child.

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 ?? DR D. NARAYANA REDDY ??
DR D. NARAYANA REDDY

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