It is possible for women to conceive a baby boy if they eat lots of mutton, not skipping breakfast and sleeping with position facing west, this is according to an Indian newspaper. However, experts debunk the article, saying the chance of a boy or a girl at birth is entirely random.
The gender of a baby is usually determined by the chromosomes present in the sperm cell of a father. However, Mangalam, an Indian publication, delivered six "scientifically proven" tips for parents who desire to conceive a baby boy. The newspaper admitted though that those tips do not guarantee a 100 percent progress.
The tips include restricting pro-creational engagements to days 1, 3, 5 and 7 of a week, at the time on which the sperm's strength is "scientifically stronger." Another tip given is never to skip breakfast meal, which is imperative as it is the most significant meal of the day. Lastly, women who want to conceive a baby boy as per the newspaper must eat salty foods, dry grapes, and lots of mutton.
Experts did not support those tips. Dr. Shazia Malik, a consultant gynecologist, and obstetrician at London's The Portland Hospital said the chance of a girl or a boy at conception is entirely random. She added that there is no scientific evidence on any method that will change this mathematical chance when a child is born naturally.
The Indian article also noted that men must avoid acidic foods as it lessens the strength and the power of sperm cell. However, science said the strength of semen doesn't affect the sex of a baby. In fact, the sole way a child can be a boy is when the fertilizing sperm cell has a Y chromosome.
BBC has learned that Gita Aravamudan, Indian author of Disappearing Daughters: The Tragedy of Female Foeticide, said the Indian article is not likely to have a significant impact, particularly it's written in a minority language, but it's one of the several articles, "old wives" and "remedies" that provide ways to avoid having a girl baby.
Today, the article has been deleted on the site, however not before it was translated and shared broadly online, according to Indian Express. The report also noted that the article had earned negative comments on social media.
