I recently stumbled across an article state that Sweden has now LEGALIZED sex-selective abortions. Now I'm not saying that I'm a Bible thumping Pro-Lifer, but isn't this a little extreme. I conceed that abortion has it's time and place in society, but to allow parents to have an abortion simply based on the sex of the child is ludicrous. I was curious to hear the DadLabs' thoughs since you guys had such respect for the Swedes in their handling of parenthood.

I'd want to read up on this a bit before commenting. Where'd you hear about this?

I initially heard it off the Glenn Beck program (glennbeck.com) so I googled it to see what was the story because I didn't think it could be at all possible. That is where I found links to The Local - a Swedish newspaper (www.thelocal.se/19392/20090512/) and Christian Today (www.christiantoday.com/article/sweden.al...d.abortion/23342.htm). However after thinking about it, this might happen more than we know, they just don't say their choice for an abortion is gender-based. Still, I think the ruling stating that doctors can't deny this type of procedure is a bit unnerving.

The laws are to protect the right to choose. I get that. (They can't really legislate the "why." Well, I mean, that's really difficult.)

So, we will simply have to rely on fate. We can only hope that ANYONE(not just Swedes) having an abortion because of the baby's gender has complications that prevent them from ever conceiving again. That is absolutely asinine and deserves nothing but ridicule and banishment from society. And if in some bizarre scenario it is the 'father' (biologically speaking only, because THAT is not a father) that is 'forcing' the decision upon the woman, may he trip down the stairs and have his balls painfully removed by the pen in his pocket. Shall I tell you how I really feel? (This was actually a small story line on ER years ago. I remember how much the idea pissed me off.)

I mean seriously!! With all of the children in the world needing families, and all the people who can't conceive who desperately want a family... There are people who can't handle having a child because of the gender? No one can possibly justify this in any way shape or form.

I hated stories like this BEFORE I became a Dad... and now... wow. It really makes me hate people. People suck.

(FYI - this is not an anti-abortion rant, and it's certainly not an anti-Swede rant... it's a stupid people rant!)

Well put Nik. As Ron White says, "You can't fix stupid." And after stewing on it for a while, I have to agree with the protection of rights deal. As I was chatting about this with my wife (and reading some of the comments made by readers of the particular articles,) it came to my mind that even though I find this idea very immoral, I have to acknowledge why they have to say it's legal. When you start outlawing this it can become a slippery slope. We have all heard of people choosing to abort due to possibility of retardation, etc., so if you outlaw gender- based abortion, does that open the door to outlawing special needs abortions. Then the ball rolls until you can't even abort a still-born child. So if I have to like one side or the other, I will always believe in the right to have a choice.

I just wonder if this has to do with how people select which embryos to remove when in vitro is performed.

Ooooh... fair point Ben. But at that early stage, can gender accurately be determined?