Test 'shows baby sex at six weeks'

International company DNA Worldwide is selling testing kits allowing parents in the UK to find out the sex of their baby a month and a half after conception, according to its website.

The kit is likely to fuel the controversy about the ethics of abortions as it could allow couples to "play God" and abort children if they are not of the gender they want.

Couples can pay just £189.95 over the internet for the kit, which will then be sent through the post complete with a prepaid return envelope.

It provides everything needed to take a prick of blood from the mother which is returned for testing and the result made available online or by post in a maximum of six business days.

Those willing to pay £239,95 for the "express" version of the service will know the result in just four business days after the kit arrives back at the company's offices.

The company website claims: "Since an ultrasound is not always accurate in determining the gender of a baby, and is most commonly performed four to six months during the pregnancy to determine the gender, the Early Gender Test is the best solution to determining the sex of an unborn child."

The test is claimed to be 99% accurate and couples will get their money back if it wrongly predicts the sex of their child. It is not recommended for women who have had a miscarriage, abortion or blood transfusion.

The kit is thought to have launched first in the US before coming to the UK and the company website carries several testimonials from American women.

The launch of the test comes after a poll revealed that almost a quarter of GPs refuse to sign abortion referral forms and nearly one in five believe it should not be legal.