Caitlin Bailey: Influencer who went to US to side-step ban on IVF baby gender selection’s trolling plea

An influencer who flew overseas to side-step an Australian ban on gender selection has pleaded for an end to the trolling after copping backlash when she went public with her story.

Single mum Caitlin Bailey, 31, spent $45,000 travelling to the US to choose the sex of her child via IVF.

She already has two boys and a girl, aged between one and five, and wanted another girl to round out her family.

Ms Bailey, who has more than 60,0000 followers said went online to select a US sperm donor and then took two trips to the US, one to have eggs retrieved and the next to be implanted with the embryo last year.

Her daughter is due to be born in August.

“Everybody gets a brother, everybody gets a sister,” she told the Herald Sun.

“I really love that they’re close in age.”

Ms Bailey has more than 60,0000 followers on her Instagram page which is filled with posts about parenting and home decor.

It’s believed hundreds of would-be parents like Ms Bailey fly overseas each year to fulfil their dream of choosing to have a boy or a girl because it is illegal in Australia unless for medical reasons.

But gender selection is available in a number of other countries, including the US, Mexico and Thailand, leading businesses including Gender Selection Australia to partner with overseas specialists to offer the service.

Selecting the gender of your child can cost from $26,000 with Gender Selection Australia — not including the flights and accommodation required to go to the US for the transfer procedure.

California-based IVF specialist Daniel Potter, who works with Gender Selection Australia, claims to have a large patient following here, with 70 per cent of parents wanting a girl.

Dr Potter advocates for reproductive freedom and equality — including compensated egg donation and surrogacy — which are also banned in Australia. He says it is “ridiculous” gender selection can’t be provided locally.

Ms Bailey says she wasn’t prepared for the backlash she has received since telling her story.

“This sort of thing makes me really anxious,” she said.

“I don’t like conflict. I don’t like drama. I don’t like confrontation. I chose to share my story and my journey purely because I thought if there’s people out there that it could potentially help and not feel so alone.

“I didn’t share it to start online arguments or have, you know, troll conversations online.

“It just it makes me feel sick to my stomach to think about the negative side of things. I’m all about positivity and so yeah, it’s just a good reminder if you have nothing nice to say, hey please refrain.”

“With all going on, it’s just breaking me out thinking what’s potentially to come. I’m just going to stay positive.”