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Getting that first positive test result is so exciting. You are going to have a baby! A boy. A girl. Wait, which one is it? One of the first questions on every soon-to-be parent’s mind is what the sex of their baby is and when they are due to arrive. Imagining and guessing the sex of your child is one way in which you can bond with your baby in the womb, and everyone wants to get in on the fun. Friends, relatives, and well-wishers will analyze everything mothers do in order to figure out the baby’s sex, using methods passed down from one generation to the next. Although these old wives’ tales may not always be foolproof, there are some medically sound and accurate scientific ways to find out the sex of the baby if the parents wish to. Curious parents often start searching for ways to determine the sex well before it can be confirmed at a prenatal visit, trying out different tips and tricks as a source of entertainment. After all, why settle for one method when you can have fun with both?
So, here are some scientific and non-scientific methods of predicting your baby’s sex that you can try out:
Scientific Ways
1. Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is one of the most accurate ways to determine the sex of your baby, but it is not performed often as it can be dangerous. The procedure is especially risky as a needle must be carefully inserted through the abdomen and uterus into the amniotic sac, which then draws up amniotic fluid without disturbing the fetus. Even with the ultrasound guiding the needle, this is quite a difficult feat. Once the amniotic fluid is drawn out, chromosomal analysis can detect the sex of the baby as well as certain genetic diseases that may be prevalent. This procedure is usually recommended to women above the age of 35 or anyone who is at risk of genetic anomalies. However, there is a 35% risk of miscarriage with this procedure (1).
2. Traditional Ultrasound
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This is the tried and true method of predicting your baby’s sex. The second-trimester ultrasound is a popular and well-known option. This routine ultrasound is performed anywhere between the 18th and 22nd week of your pregnancy as a screening method to ensure that nothing is amiss. But the technician can see the sex of the baby during the ultrasound with nearly 100% accuracy. They are trained to look for the “hamburger” that indicates female genitalia, and a penis is easy to spot on an ultrasound to determine if it’s a boy (2).
3. Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS), is another method of prediction that is almost 100% accurate. But, like amniocentesis, it is less popular and used rarely as it is a risky and complicated procedure. It is an invasive procedure as it uses a sample of tissue that is taken from the placenta, namely the hair-like projections of the placental tissue called villi. As the placenta shares the same DNA composition of the fetus, analyzing the tissue can determine the sex of the baby as well as test for chromosomal abnormalities, if there are any. However, there is a rare risk of infection while undergoing this procedure as well as an increased risk of pregnancy loss (3).
Non-Scientific Tests
1. The Shape And Size Of The Mother’s Belly
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We have all tried to gauge if someone is having a boy or a girl from the shape and size of their belly. A common myth states that the baby will be a boy if the person carries “high,” that is, if the belly is protruding like a basket. Therefore, if you carry “low” then you must have a girl. However, this is just a myth. One cannot determine the sex of a child by simply looking at the size and shape of a belly, which could be influenced by many factors such as the mother’s genetics, weight before pregnancy, and the number of pregnancies they have had (4). So, unfortunately, staring at someone’s belly is not going to help you uncover this mystery.
2. Morning Sickness
People say that those suffering from terrible morning sickness are having a girl, and there may be some truth to this tale. Recent studies show that people who were admitted for severe morning sickness, also known as hyperemesis gravidarum, are 50% more likely to have a female baby. And these chances shot up to 80% if they were hospitalized for more than 3 days (5).
3. Fetal Heart Tones
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Some people claim that the fetal heart tone of a female baby is much faster than that of a male, and this is how you can determine their sex. However, there is no statistically significant link between the two, so this method is not backed by science.
Finding out the sex of your baby can be exhilarating. Seeing everyone react to the good news, hosting gender reveal parties, and decorating the nursery in a gender-specific theme can be fun and wholesome. But the most important thing is to celebrate your baby irrespective of what sex they are. Enjoy your pregnancy and spend time bonding with them until they are ready to arrive into your world.
