Table of contents:
- 6 things that "he said" affect the gender of the baby
- 1. Time of sexual intercourse
- 2. Position having sex
- 3. The food you eat
- 4. Family history
- 5. Stress levels
- 6. In vitro fertilization technique, aka IVF
- Is it true that this affects the gender of the baby?
Female or male, some partners may not care about the gender of the baby in the womb. However, surely you are curious about giving birth to a baby boy or girl.
There may be several factors on the gender of the baby that are influenced by you. Inadvertently, these factors may play a part in determining whether your baby carries the XX (female) or XY (boy) chromosome.
6 things that "he said" affect the gender of the baby
Various assumptions arise in society, that there are several things that can affect the gender of the baby, such as the food you usually eat, when you have sex, when you ovulate, or other things. Maybe you want to have a baby boy, but your partner wants a girl. Unfortunately, there is no solid medical evidence that proves that there is a definite way that can allow you to determine the gender of the baby the way you want it.
1. Time of sexual intercourse
The timing of sexual intercourse can affect the gender of the baby. Conception or fertilization is the meeting of a sperm cell and an egg. There is a theory that sperm carrying the Y chromosome can swim faster and die faster before fertilization occurs, while the sperm carrying the X chromosome swim slower but stronger. So that sexual intercourse in the near ovulation can produce a baby boy, while having sex a few days before ovulation can produce a baby girl.
However, this theory is still being debated. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1995 found no relationship between the time of sexual intercourse and the sex of the baby. Further research is needed to determine this relationship.
2. Position having sex
Some people also believe that the position during sexual intercourse can affect the gender of the baby. This belief states that if you want a baby boy it is better to use a standing position during sexual intercourse and if you want a baby girl it is better to be in the missionary position. However, this is only a myth that has not been proven to be true.
Another myth that developed, namely making the vagina in an acidic atmosphere to have a baby girl and making the vagina in an alkaline atmosphere to have a baby boy. And this also cannot be proven.
3. The food you eat
Several studies link between the number of calories eaten and the sex of the baby, as in a 2008 study published by the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The study found that women who consumed more calories in the year before conception, especially those who ate cereal at breakfast and ate foods high in potassium, were more likely to have a baby boy than women who skipped breakfast and consumed fewer calories.
However, a 2009 study in the same journal disputed this and considered it a coincidence. Many beliefs that develop in society say that the food that the mother eats can affect the sex of the baby. However, once again this is just a myth that has not been proven to be true.
4. Family history
Some people may guess the gender of the baby who will be born by looking at their family history, such as the number of boys and girls that are already in the family. There may be several families with this genetic predisposition, but it does not apply to all. Again, this is a coincidence, there is no research that can prove this.
5. Stress levels
Some researchers assume that sperm carrying Y chromosomes are prone to high levels of psychological stress, so stressed mothers or fathers are more likely to have a baby girl. However, this is still speculation and has not been shown to have a real impact on the sex of the baby.
6. In vitro fertilization technique, aka IVF
Based on a study from the University of New South Wales in Australia in 2010, the sex of a baby boy or girl may depend on the in-fitro fertilization technique (IVF) used. Researchers found that the percentage of male babies became around 49% when the couple opted for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in which the sperm is injected directly into the egg, and the fertilized egg is transferred into the uterus at the division stage, which is about two or three days after sperm is injected.
In another technique, the percentage of male babies rises to 56%. This occurs when standard in vitro fertilization is performed. The egg and sperm are mixed in a plate (not injected) and the embryo (an egg that has been fertilized by sperm) is transferred to the uterus at the blastocyst stage, which is about four days after the sperm cell has fertilized the egg. The reason for this is not known with certainty, but may relate to the length of time the embryos were cultured in the laboratory. The baby boy may be stronger, allowing the embryo to last longer outside the body.
Is it true that this affects the gender of the baby?
There is very little research that proves these factors actually have an impact on your baby's gender. Even some experts consider it just a coincidence, there's really nothing that can be done to determine the gender of your baby. Reporting from webMD, Steven Ory, a reproductive endocrinologist, said that nothing can really affect the choice of the sex of your baby. You have a 50-50 chance of having a baby boy or girl. After all, there is no difference between a baby boy or girl, they have their own specialties. You just have to enjoy the surprises that the baby is born with.
