Is it possible to plan the sex of a child: myths and reality

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Author of the article: Ekaterina Sergeevna Churaeva

Practicing obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound diagnostics doctor

When a family already has several children of the same sex (for example, only boys), parents who want to continue expanding the family have a natural desire to give birth to at least one girl, as they say, “for mom.” And it happens that young parents want their first-born to be a son. Then the search begins for all sorts of ways to plan the sex of a child even before he is conceived.

At one time, geneticists actually suggested that a certain lifestyle and the predominance of certain foods in a man’s diet somehow affected the chromosomal composition of his sperm, which, however, was not scientifically confirmed. And yet, people who are passionate about the idea of ​​having a child of the desired gender continue to wonder how to plan the gender of the child. This interesting topic requires in-depth consideration.

Is it possible to plan the sex of a child before conception?

For any person who has at least a little understanding of the basics of physiology, the question of whether it is possible to plan the sex of an unborn child will seem frivolous. Indeed, is it possible to force a female egg to purposefully “copulate” with an X or Y-chromosomal sperm? Some doctors believe that this is theoretically possible, but in reality it turns out to be either too time-consuming or expensive.

What determines whether it will be a boy or a girl?

Let's remember at what point the gender of a future person is determined.

As soon as the fusion of the egg with the sperm takes place, that is, the germ cells containing 23 chromosomes, into one whole - a zygote, which unites these chromosomes in pairs and therefore has a full 46 chromosomes, the sex of the emerging person is predetermined.

If a person’s gender is determined at conception, then it is possible to plan the gender of the unborn child only up to this moment, not later. This must be remembered as two and two, so as not to be tempted by advertisements of all sorts of “magicians” who promise to change the gender of a child in the womb (such figures have already appeared).

Another question is how to plan the sex of a child before conception, if the chromosome set of sperm cannot be influenced. If anyone has forgotten, let us remind you why.

It all depends on what chromosome set the sperm will have that successfully penetrates the egg. If there are only X chromosomes, a girl will be conceived, if Y, a boy will be conceived. This is what affects the sex of the child at conception.

A woman's reproductive cell contains only the X chromosome, which means that the woman cannot influence the sex of the child in any way. Considering that chromosomes are protein structures of cell nuclei containing hereditary information, one can understand that the questions of how to plan the sex of a child - a girl or a boy - are not as simple as it seems.

Neither special foods nor the father's lifestyle can affect the chromosome composition of sperm.

If it is impossible to influence the set of chromosomes, then there is only one thing left - you need to “catch” the Y-chromosomal sperm at a convenient moment for fertilization. Is it possible?

Is it true that sperm with a Y chromosome live shorter than those with an X chromosome?

There is no reliable evidence yet that sperm with an X chromosome have greater vitality, but the principle of planning the sex of a child before conception is based on this theory. The theory is this:

1. Y chromosomes, that is, carriers of the male genome, have greater mobility, but their life expectancy is 24 hours.
2. X-chromosomal sperm are less motile, but are viable for 72 hours.
3. After ovulation, the egg can be fertilized within 24 hours.
4. If coitus (sexual intercourse) occurs shortly before or during ovulation, there is a chance that Y-chromosomal sperm will be the first to join the egg. Here's how to plan the gender of your baby - boy.
5. If the question is how to plan the sex of a child - a girl, coitus should occur 2-3 days before ovulation, no later. The explanation is simple - by the time of ovulation, only X-chromosomal sperm will remain alive around the egg.

This theory, by and large, does not stand up to criticism, however, it continues to be used and by any means to determine the moment of ovulation.

At what period or week is the baby’s sex visible on an ultrasound, how is it determined? Is it possible to do this without an ultrasound, for example, in the early stages according to the shape of the mother’s abdomen?

What is ovulation?

If you are seriously interested in planning the gender of your child using an ovulation chart, you will have to thoroughly study this issue. Ovulation is the release of an egg (female reproductive cell) from the ovary and release from the membrane - the follicle. This usually happens 14 days before the first day of the period (menstruation), and with a stable menstrual cycle it is not difficult to determine this date. The mature egg enters the oviduct - the fallopian tube, where it awaits fertilization for only one day.

Strictly speaking, a woman’s entire menstrual cycle is subordinated to one single goal - conception. Simultaneously with the process of maturation of the egg, the inner mucous layer of the uterus, the endometrium, grows, which creates favorable conditions for the implantation of the future fertilized egg.

If fertilization does not occur, the egg dies, and the overgrown endometrium begins to exfoliate and after 2 weeks is evacuated from the uterus in the form of menstrual fluid, similar to blood.

How to calculate the time of ovulation?

Even if you are not interested in the question of how to plan the sex of your unborn child, finding out the time of your own ovulation is very useful. This will help determine the duration of pregnancy or, conversely, protect against unwanted conception. Calculating the time of ovulation usually takes several menstrual cycles:

1. First, the duration of the cycle is determined, that is, the number of days from the beginning of one period to the beginning of the next.
2. The first day of menstruation is considered the first day of the appearance of blood-like discharge, regardless of its intensity.
3. The duration of menstruation can vary from 2 to 8 days; this does not in any way affect the duration of the cycle itself and the day the period ends is not taken into account.
4. From the beginning of menstruation, 21 to 35 days should pass (it’s different for all women), after which discharge will appear again - this will be the first day of the next cycle.
5. By counting the days between the beginnings of menstruation, we get the duration of the cycle.
6. Check the beginning of the next cycles. If they come on time, then the cycle is regular. Subtract 14 days from the expected start date of your next period - this will be the day of ovulation.
7. If it starts late or earlier than the previous one, it means that you have an irregular cycle and counting the days of ovulation will be more difficult.

Despite the presence of mathematical calculations, this method still cannot be called 100% reliable for planning the gender of the child. The onset of ovulation can be affected by both external factors (stress, climate change, taking certain medications) and internal ones (various diseases, weakened immunity, and finally, spontaneous cycle failure may occur).

How to calculate with an irregular cycle?

To calculate the day of ovulation with an irregular cycle, you will have to work hard. There are many methods, but they all require a certain patience and perseverance:

• according to the basal temperature chart;
• according to pharmacy ovulation tests;
• Ultrasound control.

Charting basal temperature is a free and easiest way to determine the day of ovulation for those who are interested in how to plan the sex of a child.

Another way is a special ovulation test, sold in a pharmacy. Its essence is to increase the amount of LH (luteinizing hormone) in female urine during ovulation. The method is very simple and accessible, but it also has a drawback - an increase in LH levels is not always associated with ovulation, so the accuracy of this method is questionable.

The most accurate data can be obtained by performing ultrasound control with Doppler measurements, called folliculometry. In this case, the prediction accuracy is up to 12 hours, providing direct evidence of the time of ovulation. To carry out this test, you will need to undergo a whole series (from 3 to 5) of ultrasound monitoring of the ovaries, which is not cheap.

Some sources say that a 100% reliable method is the ICSI method - pre-implantation genotyping as part of an IVF program. But this method is expensive and is performed strictly for medical reasons for various sperm quality disorders and other reproductive abnormalities.

Preparation for calculation

As already mentioned, the cheapest and easiest way is to calculate ovulation using a basal temperature chart (that is, body temperature at complete rest). Is it possible to plan the gender of the child according to this schedule - why not, if many women use this method. How to prepare for calculating ovulation using a basal temperature chart?

1. Measurements should be taken from the first day of the menstrual cycle.
2. A separate thermometer should be provided for the procedure, since the measurement is carried out rectally, that is, in the rectum.
3. To record the results, you should draw a graph in a notebook, where the horizontal line will indicate days (1, 2, 3, etc.), and the vertical line will indicate the temperature in the rectum. Body temperature in this organ is more stable and less susceptible to external influences.
4. Basal temperature is measured immediately after sleep, without getting out of bed, in a state of absolute rest, and it is imperative that at least 8 hours have passed since the last meal.

It should be taken into account that for basal temperature a difference of 0.4 C has a diagnostic value, so each cell of the vertical graph should correspond to 0.1 degrees: 36.1, 36.2, 36.3 and so on up to 37.5 C.

How to plan?

For the first 3-5 days of the cycle, the temperature is stable, then it begins to decrease slightly or undergo minor fluctuations. Around the 12-14th day, the temperature again begins to show a clear increase (by 0.4 - 0.5); if the elevated temperature lasts 3 days, then ovulation has occurred.

We have already found out how to plan the sex of a child - a boy; for this, intercourse must take place on the day of ovulation or 12-24 hours before it. That is, while tracking the basal temperature chart, in the ovulatory phase you should not start intercourse until the basal temperature begins to rise.

How to plan for a girl? In order for the mature egg to be in the power of the X-chromosomal sperm, it should appear in the woman’s reproductive system in advance - 2 days before ovulation, so that by the time of fertilization the Y-chromosomal “seeds” are already out of play.

Sex planning as part of the IVF procedure

Parents who are indicated for in vitro fertilization are wondering whether it is possible to plan the sex of the child with IVF?

The IVF procedure can be called the most guaranteed way to plan the sex of a child. Typically, assisted reproductive technology is used - ICSI, which was already mentioned above. If parents resort to IVF, they should keep in mind that IVF + ICSI allows them to select morphologically normal semen from the father’s ejaculate, even in complex forms of infertility.

A high success rate can be achieved thanks to the method of implanting a ready-made embryo, tested for gender and the presence of genetic pathologies (Edwards, Down, Patau syndromes). This, of course, does not mean that the procedure can be used by everyone who wants to plan the sex of their child. As already mentioned, it is not cheap and is carried out only for medical reasons.

Scientific point of view

According to statistics, for every 100 girls born, there are 106 boys. Slightly more male embryos are produced, but it is worth noting that they are more vulnerable. This lack of balance is compensated by the impressive losses of the stronger sex in the first days after conception, as well as throughout life or in its first years. This also has a connection with the fact that men have more bad habits and, in general, lead a more extreme and aggressive lifestyle.

The reproductive cells of a woman and a man contain half sets of genetic material - chromosomes. 22 somatic and one sexual. Thus, the sperm and egg have 23 chromosomes. When these cells merge, the human genotype will be formed during the process of conception - 46 XX or 46 XY. The sex of the unborn baby will be determined by the combination of the female and male sex chromosomes. For a girl the combination is XX, for a boy - XY.

Note! Since male sperm have both types of chromosomes - X and Y, the sex of the unborn child depends only on the future father.

Reviews from women

Now comes the most interesting part. What do reviews from women who have used one or another calculation method say about how to plan the gender of a child? Here's what women answered when asked if the gender of your baby matches the predicted calculations:

1. Only 17% of women surveyed believe that the technique works and the calculations gave the correct forecast.
2. 32% of women believe that the sex of their children coincided with the predicted one completely by chance.
3. For the majority of women, the forecasts were not confirmed, while 36% believe that “this is all quackery,” and 17% continue to believe in the possibility of gender planning.

Reviews from women on various mom forums also show a 50/50 result. Fortunately, most women treat annoying discrepancies with humor and are ready to continue experimenting and plan the gender of the child “next time.”

Determination table by mother's age and month of conception

Parents, for whom the medical maze and meticulous measurements and calculations seem tedious, turn to simpler, albeit dubious, forecasting methods. For example, they try to plan the sex of the child using the Chinese sex determination table based on the mother’s age and month of conception.

Is it possible to plan the gender of a child using a table based on the mother’s age and month of conception? It is, of course, interesting and fun to find in the table your age and month when you can conceive a child of the desired gender. But, as you understand, this technique is not scientifically substantiated in any way. Details of the method and a table for planning the sex of the child by mother’s age are presented in the article.

Who is the culprit?

Usually dads place the responsibility for the birth of a baby of one sex or another on the poor mother, who suffered so much while bearing the child. In fact, it's the other way around! It is through daddy’s “fault” that the gender of the baby is determined. Moreover, this happens randomly when a male X chromosome or a Y chromosome (Y) is connected to the female X chromosome (X). In the first case, an XX chromosome connection is formed and there will be a girl, in the second - an XY chromosome connection and a boy will be born. Although there is a scientific opinion that some women can give birth only to girls or only to boys, this is how nature programmed them.

The wonderful and happy months of pregnancy give the best and unforgettable moments. However, some future parents prefer to plan the gender of the child and, indeed, with the correct calculation, get the desired result!

How to find out by date of birth of parents?

Another technique that came to us from Japan suggests predicting the sex of a child based on the birth dates of the father and mother. In light of everything stated above, such a primitive approach to planning a baby’s gender seems like just childish entertainment.

And many couples treat it this way. If you are also interested in learning about planning the sex of a child based on the date of birth of the parents, see the table in the article. If the gender of the planned child is not of fundamental importance to you, you can simply test this Japanese technique in action on yourself.

How to understand that a girl is pregnant? Is it possible to find out about pregnancy in the early stages, even before a missed period, and how can you determine at home without a test whether you are pregnant or not?