Many things can influence a baby’s gender. We wanted to know, so we asked people, and they asked if these five things influence a baby’s gender. We have found 5 things that may or may not influence a baby’s gender.
- Timing of conception
Pre-ovulation sex increases the chances of the couple having a boy. Scientists assume that the Y chromosome, (that brings out boys) swims faster but doesn’t stay long enough to survive the onslaught before implant. Y chromosomes are highly fragile.
On the other hand, the X chromosome swims slowly but had more energy left to linger on the egg’s crust waiting for the opportunity to nestle itself in.
Another reason is the alkaline environment in the ovary during ovulation. Before ovulation, the cervix is highly alkaline due to more Follicle Stimulating hormones secretion. After ovulation, the regions generally turn acidic due to the Lutein hormones.
The alkaline environment helps to promote the Y chromosome to flourish. Thus chances of getting a boy are higher. On the other side, an acidic environment promotes the preservation of the X chromosomes.
FSH plays a role in the secretion of estrogen in men, making more of the girl supporting chemicals than Lutein hormones that stimulate the production of testosterones – developing manly characteristics.
- Family history
Sometimes, giving birth is a matter of probability. Thus your previous family gender disposition history determines which gender you are likely to get.
But this circumstance doesn’t mean that you will have children of one gender only. Instead, it is possible to have more boys than girls.
These natural selections do not depend entirely on you and your partner. It cast a wide net, which includes the overall composition of your parents, brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunties in the equation.
Thus if you have many brothers and your wife also has more brothers, the odds of you bringing forth a boy increases. The opposite holds water when you have more female siblings on either side of the marriage aisle.
But you have a greater say in influencing your next baby’s gender. Despite having the same chromosome as your wife, you also have unique alleles.
Alleles are chromosome elongations that influence longevity and they come in three variants – mm, mf, and ff. If you have the first variant, you are likely to have more boys than girls. The opposite holds for the last variant while the second gives you a 50/50 odd of a balanced family gender.
UTSWMed’s research revealed a noteworthy finding: the sex ratio for families was influenced by the father’s side rather than the mother’s side. Specifically, the study observed that when a man had a higher number of brothers, his own children were more likely to be male. Conversely, if he had more sisters, he was more likely to have daughters. This interesting pattern suggested a connection between the father’s familial background and the gender of his offspring.
- Mother’s diet
Diet determines many issues related to reproduction. And nothing is more evident than when you want a new family.
This is why women are encouraged to eat a balanced diet when they become pregnant. But they should begin this journey way ahead.
A girl who eats poorly during her puberty could notice these mistakes lingering on much later during her maternal life. Yet she could also reap beneficial rewards had she begun eating well at teenage.
Which diet is vital? Some meals support the development of healthy ovaries and follicles that holds the eggs.
These foods allow a woman’s body to start generating hormones ideal for a particular gender. One such hormone ideal for male offspring is the Follicle Stimulating Hormone.
And eating food rich in avocadoes, nuts, and salmon improves the production of pungent FSH. These factors have been clinically studied.
A 2008 study published in the journal Proceeding of the Royal Society B found that women who eat more calories and potassium-rich foods tend to deliver boys.
Also, in a report by the American nonprofit media organization, National Public Radio, Dr. Fiona Mathews discussed a higher rate of male offspring among women with elevated potassium and sodium intake. In her research, Mathews suggests that women who consumed the highest amount of calories had a 56 percent probability of birthing a boy. Conversely, those who had the lowest calorie intake were found to have a 45 percent likelihood of having a male child.
- In-vitro insemination
Artificial fertilization can select what gender a child would be through gene editing. But even without this process, an in-vitro procedure used can also determine an offspring’s sex.
There are many IV technologies in use. One such is intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Here a sperm is infused into an egg and the fertilized embryo is transferred to the womb after two or three days.
This method produced an even gender parity, with equal odd of delivering either a boy or a girl.
But when another method is used, the chances of birthing a boy increases by a ratio of 13:11. This happened when the vitro method of fertilization was applied.
Here eggs and sperms were mixed in a dish and the embryo was transferred to the womb after four days. The reasons behind gender selection based on the days it takes before transplanting isn’t known.
But scientists who undertook this study in Australia’s University of New South Wales theorize that perhaps the Y chromosome stays longer outside the body.
- Parent’s stress levels
The level of stress in either of the couple also determines what gender they are likely to get. New parents who have undergone substantial stress tend to have more girls.
Hence, elevated stress levels prevent a woman from conceiving male offspring. They thus tend to give birth to girls, with unclear reasoning.
As per a report by the Neuro Science News, researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) found that women who undergo stress both prior to conception and during the conception phase have a significantly higher chance of giving birth to a girl rather than a boy. The study observed that these women exhibited elevated levels of cortisol in hair samples during the weeks leading up to conception and at the time of conception, making them nearly twice as likely to have a female offspring.
But given that the X chromosome is more stable, they tend to wither the unfavorable stress-neutralizing chemical better during fertilization. Therefore, the X chromosomes manage to survive to full pregnancy.
And this is not only related to a woman only. In yet another study published in the journal PLoS One, a correlation between stress and a baby’s gender was determined.
It discovered that men who inherited substantial wealth have more boys than girls. This situation isn’t the same for self-made billionaires and heiresses.
Thus it shows that easy life for men meant less stress, and with less anxiety, they brought forth more boys.
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- Sex positions
Gynecologists have studied sperm and learned that sperm containing predominantly Y chromosomes tend to swim fast but tire quickly. The one that is pro X chromosome is s slow swimmer but does endurance move.
With these assumptions in mind, some Gyn/Ony have deduced that certain sex styles could tilt the odds of conceiving one gender over the other.
Worldwide though, the gender ratio is at par. The ratio is 107 males to 100 females. Still, parents try out these styles. Sex poses that allow for shallow penetration, such as the missionary, are ideal when you are seeking a girl.
On the other hand, if you want a boy, you go for a deep penetration style that places the sperm near the cervix so that the fast swimmers can reach the fallopian tube before their slower but resilient rivals.
But other medics have warned that there is no proven causal effect in these assumptions. They are only based on chances.
- Vaginal tinkering
Low-tech methods could also alter the odds of getting a baby boy or a baby girl. Here, fertility experts use body chemistry to still give an advantage to their preferred gender.
The sperm is usually alkaline while the vagina is acidic. So, diet is used to bring a preferential environment.
Cereals and potassium-rich food make the vagina more alkaline thus supporting the survival of sperm-favoring boys.
On the other hand, eating many proteins makes the vaginal canal more acidic, an environment that supports X-chromosomes for girls. Thus encouraging green vegetables, wholegrain, and blueberries are good in this endeavor.
Endocrinologists have, however, disputed these methods of child gender determination. They state that this way of determining sex isn’t scientifically sound.
Experts warn that potential mothers prepare themselves for conception by eating nutritious meals, irrespective of which child they aspire to.
But despite the objections from doctors, a would-be parent still tinker with the birth canal environment to conceive their preferred gender.
In conclusion, we discussed five things that can influence a baby’s gender. However, we provided enough details that can help you figure out if it can impact a baby’s gender and help you learn more about how genetics work.
SIMILAR QUESTION
Can Anything Influence The Gender Of A Baby?
Introduction
The gender of a baby is arguably one of the most important aspects of birth. For centuries, parents have sought to influence the gender of their baby, believing that having a son or daughter can greatly affect the dynamics of the family. As modern science has progressed, many have begun to question whether anything can actually influence the gender of a baby. This paper will explore the various theories and evidence for and against the notion that anything can influence the gender of a baby.
Natural Factors
There are a few natural factors that are believed to influence the gender of a baby. The most widely accepted theory is that of the Shettles Method, which suggests that the timing of intercourse can affect the gender of the baby. The theory suggests that if intercourse occurs near the time of ovulation, the chances of conceiving a boy are higher, and if intercourse occurs two to three days prior to ovulation, the chances of conceiving a girl are greater. This is based on the idea that male sperm are faster, but die off more quickly, while female sperm are slower, but live longer.
Another natural factor believed to influence the gender of a baby is the mother’s diet. Some believe that a diet high in salt and potassium can lead to a greater chance of conceiving a boy, while a diet high in calcium and magnesium can lead to a greater chance of conceiving a girl.
Medical Factors
In addition to natural factors, there are also medical factors believed to influence the gender of a baby. One of the most widely used methods is intrauterine insemination (IUI), which involves the injection of sperm into the woman’s uterus. This method is believed to increase the chances of conceiving a boy, as male sperm are believed to be able to travel further and faster than female sperm.
Another medical factor believed to influence the gender of a baby is in vitro fertilization (IVF). This method involves fertilizing an egg in a laboratory, and then transferring the embryo into the woman’s uterus. This method is believed to increase the chances of conceiving a girl, as female embryos are believed to be better able to withstand the procedure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that certain factors can influence the gender of a baby. While natural factors such as diet and timing of intercourse may have some influence, the most reliable method of influencing the gender of a baby appears to be medical methods such as IUI and IVF. Ultimately, the decision to pursue any such method should be made after careful consideration and consultation with a medical professional.
