As far back in time as ancient Chinese, Egyptian, and Greek civilizations, mankind wondered how to choose the sex of a child before its birth. Countless myths, folk remedies and magical potions were offered as solutions. Even in recent times authorities still advise couple to change time and frequency of intercourse, delay or promote orgasm, douche, or even alter diets to cause the conception of either a male or female infant. For most of this century scientists know that sperm carrying an X chromosome determines a female and one carrying a Y chromosome determines a male.

However, the 1970 discovery that a male of Y chromosome bearing sperm could be stained with a dye finally allowed researchers to scientifically study sex selection procedures. Subsequently many methods of the separation of X from Y chromosome sperm were tested. Physicians then began checking to see if these "enriched" fractions of sperm truly selected for the desired sex.