We’ve often come across families who’ve had a whole string of girl babies or boy babies. Or maybe, you come from such a family yourself, so you’ll know what we’re talking about! We’re aware of the fact that the gender of the child depends mainly on whether the sperm carries a Y or an X chromosome during fertilization. So, the gender of your child really depends on which swimmer gets there first — but is that all? Could it be that there’s more to it? Perhaps, the genetics of the mother?
If you’re wondering what science has to say about families that happen to have children of only one gender, and if they’ll ever have children of the other gender, read on:
The Father Determines The Child’s Gender
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Mothers carry their children and bring them to the world. Since a mother carries her child, it’s easy to assume that they’re the ones responsible for the child’s gender. This is a common misconception that is far from the truth. It has been scientifically proven that the father is responsible for determining the gender of the child. How? The male sperm carries chromosomes for both genders — X and Y chromosomes. A woman, on the other hand, carries two X chromosomes. Therefore, the gender of a child is determined by which spermatozoon reaches the female egg. It could be either a Y chromosome or an X chromosome (1), (2), (3).
More Stress Equals Female Babies?
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In an interesting study, it was found that stress could be a contributing factor to determining the gender of your child. During certain natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, there was a notable increase in the number of female births. This resulted in a decline in the male to female ratio of infants. However, the study went on to say that this could be due to the increase in the death of male babies in the womb. The researchers concluded the study by saying that hypothetical immunological reasons could be the cause of decline in the male to female birth ratio (4).
Can The Food You Eat Have An Impact On The Gender Of Your Child?
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Another study was conducted to understand if the food you eat, combined with the time you have intercourse, had an impact on the gender of your child. Half the women who volunteered to be a part of this study were asked to stick to a diet that was low in salt content and high in dairy products. The other half were encouraged to indulge in sodium-rich foods and foods with a good amount of potassium. By the end of the study, it was observed that women who cut down on their salt intake and increased their dairy intake were more likely to have girl children, while the other group was more likely to give birth to boy babies. However, more studies will have to be done to understand and conclude the impact of food and its relation to the gender of the child (5).
Gender: A Flip Of The Coin
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Based on what we mentioned above, there’s only one conclusion — the gender of your child is pretty much like a flip of the coin. You have a fifty percent chance of having a girl child and a fifty percent chance of having a boy child. Despite the fact that the father determines the child’s gender, they do not have any control over which chromosome reaches the egg first. This is left to chance. To speak for families who have many kids of the same gender — according to science, this is purely a coincidence. It has nothing to do with sickness, the health of the mother, or the parent’s lifestyle. It has remained this way since the beginning of time, and as of now, there are no aspects that could potentially change this (6).
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Gender disappointment is a reality, one that many mothers and fathers go through. It is vital to understand that this is normal, and you’re not the first one to experience this, nor will you be the last. Admitting to gender disappointment is often considered taboo, but it shouldn’t be this way. Gender disappointment can take many forms, such as anger, crying, a sense of detachment from your child, and a feeling of guilt (7).
To handle gender disappointment, find someone to talk to about it. It could be your partner, a close friend, or a relative. You will then have to evaluate your feelings and work your way through them. Remember that expectations don’t always align with reality, but this is the beauty of life. Seek professional help if it gets too much for you to handle.
It’s okay to yearn and wish that your baby was a girl or a boy. Sometimes, you get lucky, and your wishes come true. At other times, not so much. But this should never come in the way of the care, love, and affection your child deserves. What truly matters is that you have a healthy baby who will grow to love you and make you happy. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!
