How to Tell the Gender of Your Baby
How to Tell the Gender of Your Baby
For centuries, the only way soon-to-be parents found out the gender of a baby was to wait until the baby was born. With advances in technology, soon-to-be parents can find out whether they are having a boy or a girl in as little as six weeks with DNA gender testing. There are a variety of reasons why pregnant parents want to determine the gender of the baby.
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions on determining the baby’s gender:
1. Is it a boy or a girl?
Currently, there are three tests available to determine the sex of your baby: DNA gender testing through a urine sample or a blood sample and an ultrasound.
2. Where are the gender prediction tests done if we decide we want to know if we are having a boy or a girl?
The DNA gender testing consists of either a urine test (similar to the pregnancy test kit) or a simple blood test both which can be done at home with an at home gender testing kit. Both the urine test and the blood test need to be sent to a laboratory for final results. An ultrasound would have to be done at a laboratory that offers ultrasound testing.
3. If we go through with the gender prediction testing, how soon will we know the baby’s gender?
With DNA gender testing one can tell the sex as early as six weeks. With ultrasound the sex can be determined after 20 weeks which is the time it takes for the baby’s organs (genitalia or ovaries) to develop well enough to be recognized in an ultrasound.
4. Is DNA testing safe when determining gender in pregnancy?
DNA gender prediction testing is very safe. The urine test is conducted with the woman’s first morning urine (similar to the pregnancy test kit). The urine is placed into a specimen cup that contains a special preservative to halt the urine from degrading. The blood test is performed with a simple blood sample taken by pricking the pregnant mother’s finger to produce a drop of blood. The blood test results are based on the following: if the droplet of blood contains the Y-chromosome (only found in males) then the baby’s gender is male. If there are no Y-chromosomes in the mother’s blood then the baby’s gender is female.
5. Which parent determines the gender of the baby?
Men determine the baby’s gender. Women only have X-chromosomes whereas men have both X-chromosomes and Y-chromosomes. If a male’s sperm contains X-chromosomes and connects with the female’s egg which has the X-chromosomes then the baby will be a girl. If the male’s sperm contains Y-chromosomes and connects with the female’s egg which has the X-chromosome then the baby will be a boy. It is the presence or absence of the Y-chromosome found in DNA testing that determines whether you are having a boy or a girl.
6. How accurate is gender prediction testing?
DNA gender prediction testing is 99% accurate whereas ultrasound testing is 95% accurate. There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration with ultrasound testing such as the position of the baby during testing, how far along the mother is in her pregnancy, and the technician’s experience level.
While science has taken the guesswork out of determining the gender of a baby, DNA testing is safest form of determining how to tell the gender of your baby.
Karl McDonald is a writer specializing in the field of baby gender predictor guides and boy or girl baby gender testing. Other related articles which may be of interest include Pregnancy foods and diets as well as info on How to conceive a baby boy. Articles by the author can be found online by visiting the following site: http://babygenderpredictorguide.com/
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