1. What is your cultural background? Both born in Australia

2. Are you currently pregnant or were pregnant in the last few years? - First baby (girl) born Sept 2004 (stillborn) Pregnant 25weeks 2days with non identical IVF twin boys

3. Did you take advantage of technology when having an ultra sound to find out the gender of your baby? Why? I had routine 18 week ultrasound and asked genderl. We did not have ultrasound specifically to find out gender.

4. Was this decision reached by yourself or with other family members and why?

We both wanted to know both times. Though we have one adopted child -we have waited a long time to be able to have children. All our family wanted to know once they knew we knew. Especially this time round (twins) so we only buy what is necessary - gender specific. Last time too because we thought she would be our one and only.

5. Did/do you have a preference for the gender, ie. wanting a boy or girl. Why or why not?
No preference for either gender either time, just wanted a healthy baby (babies)


6.Did any of your relatives or in-laws also have a preference on the gender of your baby and how was this known?
No one said anything about having a preference, but I know FIL (father in law) was happy to know at least one of these babies are boys -to carry on the family name (Husband is his only son -2 sisters).

7. If it was not the gender you wanted, has this effected your relationship with other family members and if so how? NA

8. a) IF YOU ARE CURRENTLy pregnant do you think it will affect your
relationship with your unborn child, knowing the gender before hand?

I think it helps with bonding to decide on and call them my name.

I am glad in way they are same gender to grow up with each other -likely we won't have any more. Part of me will always grieve for my little daughter who passed away and not being able to parent a daughter.But it won't affect the relationship with my boys.

9.b) If YOU WERE PREGNANT, has your relationship with your child been affected in any way as a result of you finding out the gender of your baby via ultrasound? Would you find out the gender again, if you were pregnant again? No it hasn't affetced the relationship - yes I would find out .

10. Do you think that finding the gender of babies in the womb will have any future consequences in Australian society? How?

In the case of gender specific genetic diseases technology exists to pre diagnose serious inherited diseases earlier than 12 weeks (at conception now) but for any other reason I can't see the majority of people choosing one sex over the other. Saves parents waiting till birth to find out they have a seriously ill baby or a child suffering with conditions incapatable with normal life

I think for many more practical reasons parents chose to find out if they plan on one/two child family so they can buy appropriate clothes /decorate nursery etc. Years ago it was less common for people to have a nursery and they had lots of handme downs of both sexes -so buying stuff wasn't as big an issue. They had larger families too so more chances of both sexes.

In China - they leave baby girls to die/abort them and already it caused poplualtion inbalance -males outnumber females at an alarming rate but it would never happen here in Australia. We love our daughters /sons equally.

11. Age range
20-30 31-40 41-50 50 above ---> 31-40