VietNamNet Bridge – Despite a ban, several types of home gender prediction tests are still sold illicitly online at high prices.  

Home gender prediction tests.

Under the current regulations, medical workers who provide gender prediction services are fined from VND5 million – VND10 million (USD236.57-USD473.14).

However, it seems that the demand remains high. Recently many pregnant women have opted to pay millions of VND for home gender prediction tests, which can be used from six to eight months into pregnancy.

They are sold under brand names such as Gendermaker and Intelligender, and are said to be imports from France and the US. Those who sell them promise the accuracy of up to 99.9%.

Several sellers will only agree to ship the product and do not allow buyers to come to their “shops”.

Despite the high prices, the products have curious packaging and the user manual is only in Vietnamese.

“It seems that there are many parents who want to know the sex of their baby despite ban. One of my colleagues who had a boy and a girl used this test, so I decided to trade on these to help other mothers,” one seller said.

The seller, however, failed to show any documents to prove the product's origins, admitting that this is banned. To date, no agencies in Vietnam have verified the quality of such products.

Doctor Le Thi Kim Dung from Thai Ha Medical Centre said, “Pregnant women should be careful before deciding to buy these tests. I’ve had a chance to speak with a representative from Intelligender who said that these products are not entirely accurate.”

Recently, Hanoi municipal Department of Health fined a consulting firm on Mai Dich Street for advertising and trading the tests on the internet.

Source: DTriNews