"Who do you want, a boy or a girl?" - such a question is often heard by couples concerned with the issue of procreation. In most cases, men "vote" for the boy. For many centuries, it was the birth of a son that was beneficial to the stronger sex - he can be given the throne, title, family business, surname. Women more often dream of girls - dressing up, braiding braids, playing princesses.

But often in families where there are already, for example, several sons, parents dream of a girl and do not dare to have another pregnancy, saying: “If they knew for sure that a girl would be born.”

Folk omens

Our ancestors for many centuries tried to derive their "recipes" for the conception of boys and girls. Many of these folk signs can be found on the forums of moms now. But are there any real methods that really work in planning the sex of the unborn child?

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Signs that teach parents to conceive a child of a certain gender are one more interesting than the other. For example, to conceive a boy, supposedly, you need to put an ax under the marital bed, a boy’s toy under the pillow, you also need to make sure that the moon (and not the moon) shines in the sky, the conception itself occurs in an odd month, and the woman experiences an orgasm. To conceive a girl, respectively, everything needs to be done the other way around.

Was it a boy?

In fact, there is no magic in conceiving a child of a certain gender. A male cell can have both X and Y chromosomes, while a female cell can only carry X. A girl is obtained if both chromosomes that enter the egg are X chromosomes, but if the Y chromosome enters the egg, then it is born boy.

Dry statistics

Statistically, the chances of conceiving a boy or a girl for any mother are about the same, but scientists have long noticed that boys are traditionally born a little more: under the age of 4 years, there are 947 girls per 1,000 boys. Later, the ratio levels off, and by the age of 50, there are even slightly more women than men. Biologists explain this by the wisdom of nature, which, as it were, counts on the fact that at birth a girl has a greater chance of surviving to reproductive age than a boy. By producing more boys, nature, as it were, takes into account that approximately the same number of individuals of both sexes will survive to reproductive age.

Everything is scientific

There are several scientifically proven ways to increase the chance of pregnancy with a child of a certain gender.

For example, if you conceive a child 12 hours (or even 72 hours) before ovulation, then a girl will surely be born. To conceive a boy, intercourse should be planned as close as possible to the time of ovulation: the fact is that X-spermatozoa can live in the female body for several days, while Y-spermatozoa have a much more limited “lifetime” in the womb. In order for the Y-spermatozoon to do its job, it is necessary to create the most favorable conditions for it, and then a boy will be born.

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There is also evidence of the effect of the mother's diet on the sex of the unborn child. It is believed that foods rich in potassium contribute to the conception of a boy - meat, fish, bread, cereals, mushrooms, potatoes, legumes, while for the conception of a girl - foods rich in magnesium and calcium (tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, eggs, baked goods without yeast). However, this method can only increase the likelihood of having a child of a certain gender.

But there is still a scientific way to predict the sex of the unborn child. When conducting IVF, pre-implantation diagnosis (PGD) is often practiced - the determination of the chromosome set of the embryo. To date, it is possible to determine 24 chromosomes, which makes it possible to identify possible anomalies and genetic diseases of the fetus, as well as determine the sex of the unborn child with almost 100% probability.

The film Gattaca, which depicts a supposedly ideal society with ideal people, predicted a technology similar to what can be done with PGD today. Parents could come to the doctor, hand over their genetic material and select only those embryos that correspond to certain characteristics: choose the color of the eyes and hair, the height of the child, psychological portrait and, of course, gender. Of course, the embryos chosen in this way grew into perfectly healthy, beautiful and devoid of any anomalies in the health of children.

Today, PGD is performed for parents who are over 35 years old and who have entered the IVF program in order to minimize genetic abnormalities even at the stage of embryo selection. This happens because the risks of certain genetic abnormalities in the fetus increase in direct proportion to the age of the parents.

For example, in Russia, as in most countries where IVF is practiced, gender planning is prohibited by law. Opponents of the method argue that the ability to choose the sex of the unborn child can lead society to the fact that there may be more representatives of a certain sex, and the interests of the minority will begin to be infringed.

Rodionova Olga Sergeevna, obstetrician-gynecologist of the Center for Reproductive Health "SM-Clinic":
Russia is one of those countries where planning the sex of a child in general practice is prohibited by law (No. 323-FZ of 11/21/2011). But if a child of a particular gender is at risk of a serious genetic disease transmitted to girls or boys from their parents, doctors have the opportunity to warn future parents and plan the child's gender. This helps to avoid genetic anomalies and developmental abnormalities in the baby, which are inherited - some types of cancer, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Huntington's disease, hemophilia, muscular dystrophy, Lesch-Nychen syndrome, adrenoleukodystrophy and many others.

There are countries where pre-implantation diagnosis in terms of the sex of the child is generally prohibited, even if there are medical indications and possible genetic risks. These countries include Austria, Vietnam, South Korea and New Zealand. In most countries, the situation is about the same as ours - you can determine the sex only if there are serious medical grounds for this. There are countries where it is possible to determine the sex of the unborn child without obstacles from the law, but with some reservations - for example, in Israel, PGD is allowed if 4 children of the same sex have already been born in the family.

The mass opportunity to choose the sex of a child can really swing the pendulum of gender balance in a direction that no one needs.

123RF/famveldman

In patriarchal societies, the desire to have boys can predictably outweigh the desire to have girls, and over time, this will lead not only to a crisis in the reproduction of offspring, but also to an increase in sexist sentiments in society.

One way or another, it is better not to give an extra reason to infringe on someone's rights when discussing assisted reproductive technologies. But it is also not worth going to the other extreme, when the sex of the child cannot be determined under any circumstances. In the end, determining the sex of the unborn child allows parents who are carriers of dangerous genes to give birth to healthy children and enjoy life.

If there are no possible genetic abnormalities in your family history with your husband, then it is better to rely on the will of nature in the difficult question of choosing the sex of your future child.

Often parents, waiting for the replenishment of the family, wonder who will be born - a boy or a girl? Thanks to ultrasound diagnostic devices, this becomes known even before childbirth. But in this case, there is nothing to be done: what God has given will be born. Therefore, many young families are interested in how to plan the sex of the child and is it possible at all. Consider the options.

How to predict the gender of your baby by ovulation

How often are parents complaining that they wanted a boy, but a lovely girl was born, or vice versa. Modern parents, who are used to calculating and thinking everything through, have a logical question: “Is it possible to plan the sex of a child?” Accordingly, it is also important what actions need to be taken so that the dream of the parents comes true and a child of the desired sex appears in the family.

The gender of the child is a biological and physiological issue. A boy or a girl will be born - this decision is made by nature, operating on one chromosome - Y. When an egg is fertilized by a sperm with an X chromosome, the girl's body is formed, and if she was attacked by a carrier of the Y chromosome, then an heir will appear.

Since the Y chromosomes have a male code, the responsibility, according to scientists, for determining the sex of the unborn child lies with the father. But is everything so clear? What can be done to have a baby of the desired gender?

Let's turn to science. Doctors say that the sex of the child can be calculated by ovulation.

Ovulation is the moment when an egg is released from the ovary. This happens in the middle of the female cycle, approximately on the 14th day (the period between the 12th-16th day of the cycle).

Spermatozoa with a Y chromosome are very mobile, light and small, but not as tenacious as those with an X chromosome. Therefore, to:

• a boy was born, intimacy should occur a day before ovulation;
• a girl appeared, conceive 2-3 days before the start of the movement of the egg.

If you decide to conceive a boy, then such physical indicators of the mother as:

1. Basal temperature (before ovulation, body temperature rises by 0.2–0.5 degrees).
2. Color and consistency of the secretion: the discharge becomes viscous and transparent.

The viability of spermatozoa is calculated in hours. They live no more than 2 days, and then die. Since they are more enduring with the female code, it is easier to conceive a girl a couple of days before ovulation. When the egg is born, all the boy cells will die. Only spermatozoa with the X chromosome remain, which easily fertilize the mother's cell.

How to plan the sex of the child for blood renewal

Since ancient times, a popular method of planning the birth of a child of the desired sex has been known, based on the calculation of the blood renewal cycle in women and men. In the first, the blood changes every three years, and in the representatives of the stronger sex, this process occurs every four years. To find out who will be born:

1. Divide the mother's age by 3 and the father's age by 4 respectively.
2. Compare the numbers obtained: whoever has a larger balance will be the gender of the child.

But at the same time, keep in mind that if the mother has a negative Rh factor, then in this case a boy will be born.

The method is very doubtful in terms of gender prediction, because this calculation does not take into account, for example, blood transfusion or large blood loss during operations, spontaneous miscarriages, etc.

How to plan the sex of the child: a special diet

If you decide to plan the sex of the child, then listen to the advice of nutritionists. They argue that by changing the nutrition system and its quality, moms and dads will affect the sex of the baby. In any case, following the proposed diet will allow you to give birth to a healthy heir or heiress.

In order for a boy to appear in the family, expectant mothers must introduce into their diet:

1. Foods high in protein: meat, fish, mushrooms, lentils.
2. Some flour products and foods high in starch: bread, semolina, potatoes.
3. High carbohydrate fruits and dried fruits: bananas, peaches, dried apricots, prunes, dates.
4. Food with a high content of salt, smoked meats.

Should be avoided:

• dairy products;
• seafood;
• legumes;
• cocoa and chocolate.

The girl will appear if the mother's menu contains:

• Fresh fish and lean meat, eggs.
• Yeast-free baking.
• Sweets, coffee and tea.

With vegetables, couples who want a girl will have to be careful. Keep their use to a minimum.

Many nations have their own correct ways and methods of programming the baby's gender. Therefore, if you don’t know how to calculate the sex of a child, then apply one of the already tested practices:

1. Method of abstinence.

It is believed that the longer sexual abstinence, the stronger the sperm with a Y chromosome. Therefore, those who yearn for the appearance of an heir will have to give up love pleasures for 1.5–2 months.

2. Calculation by lunar phases.

It is believed that if the lunar phase of conception coincides with the lunar phase of the birth of the mother of the future baby, then a girl will be born. To make these calculations, you need:

• know the time of birth of the mother;
• choose a lunar phase that would coincide with ovulation.

3. Determination of gender by family tree.

This method is attributed to the British, apparently because it is customary for them to study their family tree. Based on observations of the change of generations and the prevalence of children - representatives of one sex, a conclusion is made about the gender of the next born in the family.

4. Chinese table.

If a woman is 20 years old, then with a 100% guarantee, a boy can become pregnant between April and September.

Whatever methods and methods are used, it is important that the child is desired, that the parents are psychologically and socially prepared for his appearance.

Who does not want to rely on fate in the matter of determining the sex of the heir, he can test the proposed methods.

American scientists have developed a method for separating spermatozoa containing the X chromosome (when an egg is fertilized by such a spermatozoon, a female embryo is formed) from spermatozoa containing the Y chromosome (giving, respectively, a boy).

The method is based on determining the amount of genetic material contained in cells. Y-chromosome spermatozoa contain approximately 2.8% less DNA than X-chromosome spermatozoa.

The procedure consists of several steps: (1) DNA staining; (2) sorting the sperm according to the amount of DNA; and (3) separating sperm with X chromosomes from sperm with Y chromosomes. The whole process is quite laborious: it takes a whole day to process one sperm sample.

However, even this method cannot be called trouble-free. Moreover, it is interesting that the spermatozoa responsible for the conception of girls turned out to be “more obedient”: at the end of the described procedure, the X-chromosome was contained in 85% of the spermatozoa in the experimental sperm sample. Boys, as usual, are more stubborn: the maximum content of male germ cells with Y chromosomes was only 65%.

The developed method is designed to help couples who are at risk of having a child with a genetic disease that selectively affects only people of a certain gender (only men or only women).

The editors of the journal do not know anything about specific cases of the application of this - very expensive - method in Russia.

"Folk" methods

There are many "folk" signs and rituals that allegedly guarantee the conception of a child of a certain gender. Most experts consider these methods to be absolutely meaningless, and positive results are more random, psychologically conditioned or intuitively predicted by future parents. Stubborn statistics do not give a green light to any of the "folk" ways of planning a floor.

If you combine all such methods (ancient Chinese and ancient Japanese tables for planning the sex of a child can be found on the Internet), then you can get the following instructions:

To conceive a boy it is necessary in even years of your life to plan conception for odd months or in odd years - for even ones (the number of the month is divided by 2), have sex at night when there is a month in the sky, and not a full moon, there is no precipitation. It should be cool in the bedroom, the window should be open, you should lie with your head to the north, you should put some “male” attribute under the pillow - a toy gun, a typewriter, at worst - a can of beer. More likely to conceive a son in those couples where the husband loves his wife more than she loves him. During intercourse, a man should reach orgasm earlier than a woman, and after sex, future parents are advised to stay awake for a long time. Before the onset of an important night, for at least three weeks, a woman should eat meat and fish products, with the exception of crabs, shrimp and caviar, fresh and dry fruits, potatoes, mushrooms, drink tea, coffee, forgetting about milk and dairy products, as well as bread and egg yolks. All dishes should be salted, do not be afraid to use canned food. Before the responsible hour, the husband should wash the testicles with cold water, which will increase the activity of spermatozoa.

To conceive a girl the year and month of the onset of pregnancy must be either even or odd. The day must be rainy, the phase of the moon is the full moon. In these cases, you need to have sex in the evening, in a room painted in pink tones, lie with your head to the south, and put a pink ribbon under the pillow. The window should be closed, and the air in the room should be scented with perfume or deodorant. Girls are guaranteed to couples where the wife is more sexually active and loves her husband more than he loves her. In the conception of a girl, the observance of a milk diet helps, fish, bread, carrots, cucumbers, herbs are allowed, the consumption of dried fruits, meat is limited, carbonated water, salt and spices are excluded. The future father of the girl should warm the genitals with warm underwear to reduce the activity of male germ cells.

All of these methods are quite absurd and have no scientific background, but with a strong belief in them, they may show some effectiveness. Regarding the observance of the described diets, one should be especially careful, since none of them is balanced and complete in composition, which can adversely affect the health of the mother and child.

"New Blood"

One of the frequently discussed methods has the sonorous name "blood renewal". It is believed that in men the blood is renewed every 4, and in women - every 3 years. If a person had some kind of operation or blood loss during his life, then the countdown does not start from the birthday, but from the date of this blood loss. Thus, the age or time from the last blood loss is divided by 4 for men, and 3 for women (with Rh-negative blood in the mother, the opposite is true - for men, the denominator will be 3, and for women - 4). Whoever has a larger balance (mom or dad), he has a more “young”, strong blood, therefore, the child will be of the same sex. The method has not received any scientific justification.

From the point of view of science

According to medical statistics, on average, 106 boys are born for every 100 girls. Male embryos are formed even more, but they are more vulnerable. This initial imbalance of the sexes compensates for the large losses of males in the prenatal period, in the first year and throughout life. Male embryos, as well as boys of the first year of life, die more often. Dangerous games, men's professions, wars, addiction to addictions, unfortunately, often lead to the death of adult men, and the average life expectancy of the stronger sex in almost all countries of the world is less than that of women. Therefore, gradually the initial imbalance levels off, and by the reproductive age, the sex ratio approaches equilibrium: 1 to 1.

The sex cells of a man and a woman - sperm and eggs - carry a half set of genetic material - chromosomes: one sex chromosome and 22 somatic (non-sex) each. Thus, a sperm cell and an egg cell each contain 23 chromosomes. When these cells merge during fertilization, an individual genotype of a new person is formed - either 46 XX or 46 XY. Gender is determined by the combination of two sex chromosomes: the XX combination is inherent in the female sex, and the XY combination is male. In any woman, all eggs contain one X chromosome (there are simply no other sex chromosomes in the female body). Male spermatozoa are of two types: with the X chromosome and with the Y chromosome. If the X-spermatozoon fertilizes the egg, a girl will be born; if Y, a son will appear in the family. In this way, the gender of the future baby depends ONLY ON THE MAN! Therefore, disappointments, dissatisfaction with the sex of the newborn baby and claims to the wife by the newly-born pope, sometimes reaching anecdotal situations and curiosities, are completely unfounded. For the same reason, all methods of planning the sex of the baby related to the expectant mother (calculating her age, day and month of birth, diet, etc.) are absolutely unreasonable. A woman of any age, with any diet, can give her baby only the X chromosome, and the responsibility for the second - X or Y, complementing the necessary set, on which it will depend, whether she will bear and give birth to a son or daughter, lies entirely with the father of the child .

I must say that some methods of floor planning are based on scientifically based facts.

Sex planning by ovulation date

The method is based on the existing difference between X- and Y-spermatozoa. The X chromosome is much larger and "heavier" than the Y chromosome. Therefore, X-spermatozoa are slower, but much more enduring and viable than their more nimble Y-brothers. Fertilization of an egg by a spermatozoon is possible only after it has left the ovary, i.e. after ovulation. If sexual intercourse was a few days before ovulation, then the probability of having a girl increases - most likely, only long-living, hardy X-spermatozoa remained in the woman's genital tract, which will get the honorable mission of fertilization. If future parents manage to guess the day of ovulation by abstaining from sex for at least a week before this day, and sexual intercourse occurs on the day of ovulation, then the probability of conceiving a boy increases: light and extremely mobile Y-spermatozoa will be the first to reach the egg, ahead of the heavier X- spermatozoa.

Another scientific explanation for this method is the change in the pH of the vaginal secretion depending on hormonal fluctuations during the cycle: 2-3 days before ovulation, the environment in the vagina is more acidic, which contributes to a faster death of Y-spermatozoa. In other words, if sexual intercourse occurs before ovulation, then the “boy” spermatozoa die. During ovulation, the pH of the medium increases slightly (alkalised), which preserves the more vulnerable carriers of the male chromosome. Thus, in order to increase the likelihood of conceiving a boy, it is necessary that sexual intercourse occurs on the day of ovulation or immediately after it.

The dependence of the sex of the child on the sexual activity of the parents

With high sexual activity, frequent, regular sexual activity (sexual acts are performed daily or every other day), boys are born more often (there is a higher probability of fertilization by fast Y-spermatozoa). With low sexual activity, the probability of having a girl increases (X-spermatozoa "wait" for ovulation in the woman's genital tract, since they are viable up to 4-5 days after intercourse).

The method is effective in 80% of cases. True, it is difficult to use it for women with an irregular cycle, in which it is difficult to determine the pattern and the exact day of ovulation. It should be borne in mind that in healthy women with a fairly regular menstrual cycle, the date of ovulation may shift.

Practical advice. It is necessary to determine the time of ovulation for several cycles or according to the basal temperature chart (during the normal course of the menstrual cycle, before ovulation, the temperature in the rectum is below 37 degrees C, on the eve of ovulation the temperature additionally decreases by a few tenths of a degree, and after ovulation it rises to 37 degrees C and above ), or with the help of daily ultrasound - approximately from the 10th day of the menstrual cycle until the release of the egg from the ovary. With ultrasound, a maturing (dominant) follicle containing an egg is clearly visible. It disappears after ovulation, and a corpus luteum forms in its place, also diagnosed by an ultrasound doctor. Some women subjectively feel ovulation, for example, they feel pain in the lower abdomen, nausea, they note the release of ovulatory mucus from the genital tract on the day of ovulation - such mucus is viscous, quite plentiful. When planning the conception of a daughter, sexual intercourse should be 2-3 days before the calculated date of ovulation, if you want to conceive a son, you should refrain from sex at least 2-3 days before ovulation, and have sexual intercourse within a day after the release of the egg from the ovary.

Separation of spermatozoa into X and Y using special procedures

Spermatozoa are separated in an electric field, using laser technology, flow cytometry (staining of spermatozoa with special dyes, followed by division into 2 types). After performing one of these procedures, the egg is fertilized in a test tube with a selected sperm, an embryo of the desired sex is obtained and inserted into the uterine cavity (IVF).

Even this scientifically based method does not give a 100% guarantee. In addition, the possible genetic changes in the application of various procedures for artificial sorting of spermatozoa have not been fully studied. And the selection of embryos of a certain sex is practically the same as selective abortion. In addition, IVF is an expensive method. Although in the future, perhaps, the separation of spermatozoa will help solve the problem of preventing hereditary diseases associated with sex.

Thus, none of the listed methods gives a 100% guarantee of the desired result. In addition, it is important to remember that the appearance in the family of a healthy child of any gender - a son or daughter - is the most significant and happiest event.

The sex ratio is very finely regulated by nature itself. But despite this, women are trying to plan the sex of their unborn child in all known ways. And already pregnant women resort to all kinds of methods for determining the sex of a conceived child.

Well, there are indeed ways to determine and plan the sex of an unborn child, but not all of them have received scientific confirmation.

The site for moms will tell you about the most common and plausible ones, but you can check their authenticity.

1. Determination of the sex of the child by the shape of the abdomen

Believe me, your loved ones will predict the sex of the unborn child precisely by the shape of your belly! It is believed that a sharp belly is for a boy, and a round belly suggests the birth of a girl.

In fact, the shape of the belly of a pregnant woman is individual, and when determining the sex of the unborn child, you should not rely only on this method. Although coincidences happen quite often.

2. By the appearance and well-being of a pregnant woman

• If a pregnant woman blossoms, her hair shines, her skin is tender, even, then they say that there will be a boy.
• If the appearance of the expectant mother becomes worse, she has a constantly tired look, then a girl will be born. As if the future daughter takes the beauty from the mother. This is partly true. Female hormones go to the development of the girl.
• If a pregnant woman suffers from severe toxicosis, then a boy will be born. Simply because it is more difficult for a woman to bear a child of the opposite sex in her stomach.

This method is also not considered 100% reliable.

3. Determining gender with a pendulum

In this case, you need to tie a ring or a needle to the thread and hold it over the belly of the pregnant woman. After a while, the pendulum will begin to swing. If from side to side in a straight line, then there is a boy in the womb. If in a circle - there will be a girl.

For those parents who believe in this kind of method of determining the sex of the unborn child, and did not do it for the sake of experiment, the pendulum gives the right results.

4. Ultrasound

Ultrasound examination allows future parents to find out the sex of the child already in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is harmless for both the baby and the mother.

However, sometimes there are technical difficulties in determining the sex of the child using ultrasound. For example, with pelvic presentation of the fetus or a small amount of amniotic fluid. And then the doctors themselves can either make a mistake, or they won’t be able to say anything at all. But it's still rare.

The accuracy of this method is 100%, and the “older” the fetus, the more accurate the results.

5. Sex determination in early pregnancy (amniocentesis)

In the first weeks of pregnancy, it is allowed to determine the sex of the child only for strict medical reasons - if a hereditary disease associated with the sex of the child is suspected. This procedure comes with some risk.

For research, it is necessary to puncture the fetal egg or chorion tissue, and genetically study the resulting material. The same study determines the sex of the child.

6. Planning the sex of the unborn child by the time of ovulation

This planning method is based on the influence of X and Y chromosomes on the sex of the child.

As you know, the sperm that carries the Y chromosome (responsible for the birth of a boy) is more mobile than the one that carries the X chromosome (girl), so it is more likely to reach the egg earlier. But on the other hand, the sperm with the X chromosome is more viable and can survive longer in the fallopian tube, “waiting” for ovulation.

Therefore, it is necessary to determine the date of the upcoming ovulation as accurately as possible - measure the basal temperature for several menstrual cycles or buy special tests (test strips) at the pharmacy. When the day of ovulation is determined, a simple calculation can be made to plan the sex of the unborn child.

• If future parents want a girl, then the last sex should be no later than 2-3 days before ovulation.
• If a boy is planned, then abstinence is recommended for a week before ovulation, and sexual intercourse is recommended the day before ovulation or directly on the day of ovulation. Then the nimble sperm with Y-chromosomes will be the first to reach the egg.

This method is effective in approximately 80% of cases, subject to regular menstruation and a constant day of ovulation.

7. According to the activity of sexual life

This method is somewhat similar to the previous one. As already known, sperm with a Y chromosome (boys) are the first to reach the egg. In addition, they outnumber "female" spermatozoa.

Therefore, with frequent sex, boys have more chances. And with rare sex (about 1 time per week), girls are more likely, since the life of sperm with X chromosomes is longer.
It is believed that the accuracy of this method is about 70%.

8. Planning for maternal age

To plan the sex of the child, you need to cross the age of the mother with the month of conception in Table 1. For example, if a woman of 23 years old becomes pregnant in July, then a girl will be born. After counting several of my friends, I came to the conclusion that this method can be considered correct.

9. Planning the sex of the child by the months of birth of the father and mother

According to table 2, we find the figure of the intersection of the month of birth of a man and a woman.

Further, according to table 3, we look at the month in which it is most likely to conceive a boy or a girl. To do this, we go down from the number from table 2. The more crosses, the greater the opportunity to conceive a child of a certain gender.

Example. The man was born in June, the woman in October. The intersection number is 6. It turns out that it is most likely to conceive a boy in February or October, and a girl in August.

10. Planning the sex of the child by updating the blood of the parents

In the human body, blood is regularly updated. For women - for 3 years, for men - for 4. Usually, whose blood is younger, a child of that sex is born.

For this, the age of a woman is divided by 3, and men - by 4. The child will turn out to be of the sex who has the largest balance. Moreover, if there were large blood losses (transfusion, childbirth, abortion, blood donation), then we count from this date, and not from the day of birth.

I'll give you an example. The woman is 23 years old (23 divided by 3, it turns out 7.6), the man is 29 (29 divided by 4, it turns out 7.25). At the time of conception, the woman's blood is younger, which means there will be a girl.

However, if a woman has a negative Rh blood factor, then vice versa, whoever has a smaller balance will be born.

Many couples who are thinking about a child dream that they will definitely have a boy or vice versa a girl. Such thoughts have visited people since ancient times. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that there are so many signs and myths on this topic. Let's try to figure out what factors can really affect gender of the unborn child from a scientific point of view, and which are in the category of fantasy. So how do you know who the stork will bring?

The body of some women is "programmed" for the birth of girls, and others - for the birth of boys?

This is a very common myth that has no real basis. This can be attributed to the popular folk belief. It says: the couple will have a child of the gender of the spouse who loves his soul mate more.

Let's turn to physiology. As you know, the human body is made up of cells. Each cell has 23 pairs of chromosomes, 22 of which are almost identical and only one pair, which is responsible for sex, has significant differences.

In women, both sex chromosomes are the same, they are similar in shape to the Latin letter X, hence the name - X - chromosome. In men, one chromosome is similar to the female, and the other resembles the shape of the Latin letter Y. It's called the Y-chromosome.

For a couple to have a child, male and female sex cells must meet (sperm and egg, respectively). Each of these cells carries half the genetic code. And if all eggs are carriers of the X chromosome, then spermatozoa can be carriers of both the X and Y chromosomes. Thus, if the egg is fertilized by X - the sperm, then a girl will be born, and if Y, then a boy.

From this it follows that the main responsibility for the sex of the unborn baby is borne by a man, not a woman. Of course, there are families where only girls or only boys are born, in this case it is a matter of genetic predisposition, that is, in the characteristics of the seminal fluid (large X or Y spermatozoa).

Conception of a boy is possible only in the middle of the menstrual cycle, the rest of the time girls will turn out

We can say that this point is true. This method is suitable for planning gender of the unborn child. Every month, under the influence of pituitary hormones in the female body, namely in the ovary, a small bubble ripens, which is called follicle. Around the middle of the cycle, it bursts and releases the egg. This phenomenon is called ovulation. After leaving the ovary, the egg enters the fallopian tube and moves towards the uterus. The ability to fertilize the egg has approximately 24 hours.

Studies have shown that X-spermatozoa are larger and slower, and Y-spermatozoa are faster and smaller. But spermatozoa with male chromosomes live less (1 day) than carriers of female hereditary information (5-7 days). On average, spermatozoa reach the egg in 2-3.5 hours. Thus, if sexual intercourse occurred in ovulation period the chance that a boy will be born increases.

To apply this method, you need to know the exact date of ovulation. One of the simplest methods for determining the exact date of ovulation are test strips that allow you to evaluate the concentration of luteinizing hormone. Before ovulation, its level rises sharply. The test allows you to determine this jump, which indicates the onset of ovulation within 48 hours from the moment it was carried out.

There are also high-precision devices that determine the onset of ovulation by saliva. The essence of this method is that due to the increase estrogen levels before ovulation, the saliva of a woman crystallizes when dried, under a microscope, patterns similar to frost can be seen. This phenomenon has been named fern effect.

There is another way to determine ovulation. Measurement of basal temperature and construction of a temperature curve. The temperature in the rectum is measured every morning without getting out of bed. Before ovulation begins, the temperature can drop by 0.5 degrees Celsius from the norm. During the onset of ovulation, on the contrary, it rises and can reach 37.3 degrees. This temperature persists for several days. In the treatment of infertility, the period of ovulation is determined using ultrasound.

Protein diets for boys and carbohydrate diets for girls

The myth that X-chromosome carriers better tolerate an environment saturated with some substances, while Y-chromosome carriers need others, has not been confirmed by anything. Moreover, it is dangerous, primarily for the health of the unborn baby.

Every organism keeps homeostasis- maintains the constancy of the internal environment, and the chemical composition too. To shift this indicator, a person must consciously provoke a deficiency of some substances or an overabundance of others. Which in turn can lead to various disorders in the body, including sexual dysfunction, for example, impair fertility (the ability to conceive). And it certainly won't affect gender of the unborn child.

But the lack of some substances, as well as an excess of others, can cause various developmental disorders in the baby. So, with protein, there is a deficiency of folic acid, which provokes malformations of the central nervous system and spine. A carbohydrate diet leads to a deficiency in the body of B vitamins and iodine. And this can subsequently affect the mental abilities of the child.

The time of year affects the conception of a child of a certain gender

There is a popular belief that during the autumn conception, boys are more often born, and during the spring, girls. This method of planning the sex of the child is based on the fact that more favorable conditions are needed for the survival of Y-spermatozoa. In autumn, as you know, there are more vitamins. Girls are more likely. There are no scientific studies that can confirm this method yet. The only plus of this method of planning the sex of the unborn child is safety.

Frequent visits to the bath increases the likelihood of having a girl

Another unsubstantiated myth. This option for planning the sex of a child can be classified, like diets, as dangerous to health. When overheated, the activity of spermatozoa decreases, some of them die, and anatomical changes may occur in another part. According to statistics, men who love to take a steam bath twice a week have a higher risk than those who visit the bath less often.

Any diseases associated with an increase in body temperature also lead to a deterioration in the quality of seminal fluid. This threat can last up to 3 months (the term for the maturation of sperm in the testicles).

Planning the sex of the child according to the "youth of the blood"

There is another myth about how you can plan gender of the unborn child. According to this method, in women and men, the blood is periodically renewed (for women, once every 3 years, and for men, once every 4 years, respectively). To calculate the age of the blood, you need to divide the age of the parent by 3 for women and 4 for men. Whoever has the resulting number is larger, that of the spouses has “younger” blood, which means it is stronger. Accordingly, the child will be of the same sex as the parent with younger blood.

It must be borne in mind that blood is renewed during various injuries, operations, childbirth, blood donation, etc. Although experts claim that the accuracy of this method is 60 - 80%, science has big doubts about this. As you know, blood is plasma and formed elements(blood cells). Plasma is completely updated in a few days. Blood cells have a short lifespan: red blood cells (erythrocytes) live an average of 120 days, leukocytes can live only a few hours, or maybe several months. Platelets live only 10-12 days. What part of the blood is renewed every 3-4 years and how this can affect the germ cells remains a mystery.

Chinese and Japanese tables for planning the sex of the child

There are so-called Chinese tables that help to calculate gender of the unborn child using mother's age and month of conception. About the fact that a man is responsible for the gender of the offspring, the ancient Chinese sages apparently did not know.

Not much further advanced in this sense, and the inhabitants of Japan. Their tables take into account the date of birth of both the mother and father, and also, as in the previous method, the month of conception. It turns out that one couple in one particular month can only have a child of a certain gender.

There are many rebuttals to this. Many families have children of different sexes born in the same month.

Sexual activity of parents can affect the sex of the unborn child

This assumption has the right to exist, since frequent sexual intercourse (daily or at least every other day) increases the likelihood of fertilization of the egg by a Y-sperm (sexual intercourse may coincide with ovulation), in which case there will be a boy. If the number of spouses is low, then the probability of having a girl increases.

You can plan the gender of the unborn child!

Modern scientific technology now really allows you to choose gender of the unborn child. This can be done through the IVF procedure. In this case, conception occurs in vitro, in the laboratory, and not in the body of a woman.

Before the transfer of the embryo into the uterine cavity, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is carried out, which is a test of the chromosome set of the embryo. In addition to gender, this type of study reveals up to 150 types of hereditary genetic diseases. This reduces the risk of developing various pathologies in the unborn child. Currently, in our country, a sex determination study is carried out only when one or both future parents are carriers of severe genetic diseases, such as hemophilia, muscular dystrophy, etc. Note that the effectiveness of such a diagnosis for choosing the sex of an heir is 100% .

Probably, each of us will agree that a child is an extraordinary gift. And does it matter if it's a boy or a girl? The main thing is that the baby is born healthy!