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Am I having a boy or girl? 6 myths about your baby's gender

Am I having a boy or girl? 6 myths about your baby's gender

(Courtesy of MountainStar Healthcare)


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As soon as you see that home pregnancy test come up positive, you might start wondering, "Am I having a boy or girl?" And when people see your bump, they'll definitely ask.

As a father of three, Sean Edmunds, MD, an obstetrician at St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City, knows all about the nail-biting excitement of wanting to know the gender. "It's an emotional and fun time," he says. "When you know, you can start planning for the arrival."

Courtesy of MountainStar Healthcare
Courtesy of MountainStar Healthcare

But is there any way to choose or predict your baby's gender before that 20-week ultrasound?

Both as an OBGYN and a father, Dr. Edmunds has heard all sorts of myths about predicting a baby's gender. A family friend even told his wife to tie a ring to a string, hang it over her bump, and observe how it moved to guess if their first child would be a boy or a girl.

Here, Dr. Edmunds answers questions on 6 common myths about discovering your baby's gender.

Myth #1: Certain sexual positions can lead you to have a boy or girl.

Dr. Edmunds: There's not any truth to that. The father provides millions of sperm. One will win out, and nothing about sexual position can really help that.

Myth #2: If you know when you conceived, you can predict the gender.

Dr. Edmunds: There is a myth out there that says look at the Chinese lunar calendar. You combine it with your age and month of conception, and this can tell you the gender of the baby. But that's a myth. The date when you conceived does not influence the baby's gender.

Myth #3: Mom has a hand in choosing the gender.

Dr. Edmunds: That's not correct. It's all based on chromosomes. Half come from mom, half from dad. At conception, dad's sex chromosome determines the baby's gender. The woman can only give X chromosomes. Dad gives either an X or a Y—since he has both—and the sex is determined.

Myth #4: The position of the bump can let you know if it's a boy.

Dr. Edmunds: People say, "Oh, you're carrying low, so you're having a boy." The reality is that the sex of the baby doesn't affect how you carry. That has more to do with your muscle tone and position of the baby.

Myth #5: Ultrasounds aren't really that accurate.

Dr. Edmunds: Actually, they are accurate, and you can see as early as 14 weeks. I am always willing to look early in the clinic for my patients, but depending on the baby's position, it can be harder to determine. If there is any question during an early peek, then save your receipts on all the new pink or blue! It's much clearer with the 18- to 20-week ultrasound. If the baby is in the right position, you can definitely know the gender.

Myth #6: If the heart rate is fast, it's a girl.

Dr. Edmunds: Yes, toward the end of pregnancy, girls can have a faster heart rate, but that's seen in the third trimester. By then, you probably already know. Girls and boys both have fast heart rates in the first trimester.

The Bottom Line

There really is no way of telling for sure if you are having a boy or a girl before that ultrasound. However, Dr. Edmunds mentions there is something to be said for mother's intuition.

"One thing I never ignore is a mom's intuition," Dr. Edmunds says. "I've had many women share special experiences that leave them sure that they know the gender. I always favor that intuition. If mom has a strong feeling that the baby is a girl or boy, I'll never discount that."

Dr. Edmunds continues, "You may be set on a boy or girl, but I just tell everyone, each child is unique and beautiful in their own way. However, there is no harm in guessing the gender. Have fun with the process, because no matter what games are played you'll be right half the time."

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