UAE to have its first designer baby this month

Dubai, Jan 10 (UNI) The first 'designer' baby to be born to a UAE couple in the country is due on January 18.

The mother had undergone fertility treatment after choosing the sex of the baby at the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre.

The Caesarian section at Al Wasl Hospital is handling the delivery of the boy. The couple has had long-standing fertility problems.

However, the first baby whose gender was chosen in Dubai, was born to a European woman in Belgium in the last week of December last year, the Khaleej Times said but did not elaborate on how the Islamic clerics viewed the procedure.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Dr Hina Zaheer who carried out the delivery said, ''The woman already has two daughters delivered through complicated Caesarean procedures. She wanted a son and this was the last pregnancy she could have as advised by her doctors, so she wanted to balance her family by having a son, explained Dr Hina.

Dr Hina said the European woman had got in touch with the centre through the Internet.

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