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Research led by University of Melbourne demographer Dr Rebecca Kippen has found 80 per cent of people are against sex-selective abortions and 67 per cent are against the use of IVF for sex selection.
Moreover, when asked whether they would support a hypothetical blue or pink pill for sex selection, only 11 per cent said yes.
The findings, published online in Fertility and Sterility today, are based on responses from more than 2,500 people in the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes, and a series of in-depth parental interviews.
Dr Kippen says the results are surprising.
"Very strongly in Australia there is a preference for one child of each sex, rather than sons over daughters, or vice versa," she said.
"But we found a very high opposition to all three methods of sex selection."
Dr Kippen says there are several reasons behind the strong disapproval rates.
"Opposition to these technologies was grounded in three major concerns: the potential for distorted sex ratios; that sex selection can be an expression of gender bias; and a concern about designer infants being created, when...