Since the moment a female gets a positive pregnancy test result, nearly every anticipated mom finds herself thinking whether she's carrying a girl or a boy.
This interest has given rise to numerous myths, indicating that one can identify the baby's sex based on factors like the mom's physical appearance, the baby's heart rate, or the movement of a suspended ring over the belly.
Ways to Ascertain Baby's Sex During Pregnancy
Primarily, it's essential to discern between sex and gender. A baby's sex is determined by its reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones, and similar factors.
In contrast, gender is not predetermined. Mark P. Leondires, MD, medical director at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut, clarifies this, stating, "Each person's gender is unique to them and can exist independently of their chromosomal makeup."
Dr.Leondires further explains, "For instance, an individual born with the chromosome complement 46XY may identify as male, non-binary, or female."
While some old wives' tales may sometimes display a degree of truth (such as increased nausea possibly indicating a girl), most lack any scientific legitimacy. Even moms who are certain in their hunch about the baby's sex are wrong roughly half of the time.
Traditionally, parents had to wait until the birth of their baby to discover its biological sex, leading to numerous old wives' tales about predicting it before birth.
However, progress in modern medicine now offers numerous opportunities during routine prenatal care to determine the sex of the baby. These involve non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), and routine ultrasounds.
Multiple Methods to Find Baby's Sex in the Womb
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
NIPT, which examines for genetic or chromosomal abnormalities, can identify the baby's sex as early as ten weeks into the pregnancy. It examines fragments of fetal DNA from a blood sample, acting no danger to the fetus.
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Similarly, CVS, suggested for select cases, involves getting placental tissue between 10 and 13 weeks of gestation, giving insights into the baby's sex based on chromosomes.
Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis, another alternative for genetic screening, can also tell the baby's sex and is usually accomplished between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Routine ultrasound
Routine ultrasounds, although mainly for medical intention, can also reveal the baby's sex during scans like the anatomy scan, typically conducted between 18 and 22 weeks. However, unlike genetic tests, ultrasounds rely on envisioning the growing genitalia, which can sometimes be concealed, needing a follow-up scan for validation.
Genetic Screening with IVF
In vitro fertilization (IVF) couples might know the baby's sex upfront through preimplantation genetic screening, where embryos' chromosomes are examined. This method, known as "gender selection," grants potential parents to select the sex of the embryo they want to embed.
Despite this process, it's crucial to identify the restraint of determining a baby's sex during pregnancy. Gender identity, different from anatomy, can differ, and children may identify as non-binary or transgender. Furthermore, a child's sex at birth doesn't decree their personality, preferences, or talents, all of which appear over time with nurturing care.
