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Controversial Baby Gender Test Causes Concern Save Email Print
Posted: 5:21 PM Feb 22, 2006
Last Updated: 9:40 AM Feb 23, 2006
Reporter: Toni Harrison

A | A | A

Raylene Lewis just found out she was pregnant with her second child when she saw something on the Today Show that caught her eye.

It was information about a new test, The Baby Gender Mentor, put out by Massachusetts-based Acu-Gen Biolab. It claimed with three drops of blood and $275 it could identify a baby's sex just five weeks into pregnancy and had a 99.9 percent accuracy rate, with a money back guarantee.

"We took the test and fed-exd it right away to the lab. Within 24 hours my husband got an e-mail on his computer that said the results are ready," said Raylene Lewis, expectant mother.

The test showed she was having a boy, her doctor didn't agree.

"I was like what happened to the baby boy I bonded with, " said Lewis.

At first she didn't believe the ultra sound, so she had two more. All three confirmed she was having a girl. Raylene contacted the president of Acu-Gen that only caused more problems.

"I said are you telling me there's something wrong with my baby and he said yes," said Lewis.

She says the company told her if she had a girl it would have chromosomal abnormalities.

Dr. Justin Gayle is a board certified OB Gyn with the Affiliates for Women's Health in College Station and Raylene is his patient. He's done his own research on the test and has concerns.

"It's not been FDA approved and there are no valid studies," said Dr. Justin Gayle, Affiliates for Women's Health.

After speaking with reference labs around the country, Gayle isn't convinced technology for this type of test exists. He too called the president of Acu-Gen.

"I asked him if he had any data or research that showed to accuracy of his test and his words were, quote, that's a secret," said Gayle.

Acu-Gen may ultimately have to give up that secret. Raylene is one of many women across the country that has received bad results and is considering a class action lawsuit which may force the company to cooperate.

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