IN TOUCH
ASSOC PROF DITTAKARN BORIBOONHIRUNSARN
'Do you have any tips for having a baby boy/girl?" or "Is there any technique to beat Mother Nature that will allow you to choose the sex of your child?" These kinds of questions are frequently asked by many couples planning to get pregnant. Is there an answer? Yes. And you can do it yourself
The basics
What determines our biological sex is a pair of "sex chromosomes", the "X" (female) and "Y" (male). Eggs of a woman bear only X while sperms of a man can bear either X or Y chromosomes. Now you can see that, for a baby to be a boy or a girl, totally depends on which chromosome the father gives, not from the mother. If X pairs together (XX), it is a baby girl; and if X pairs with Y (XY), it is a baby boy.
For the two types of sperms, the Y-sperms are smaller, weaker, but faster than their siblings X-sperms, which are bigger, stronger, but slower. Based on this fact, there are several things you can do to "favour" the conception of baby boys or girls.
The techniques
Timing is everything.
The closer to ovulation you have sex, the better the chances to have a boy, because the faster Y-sperms tend to get to the egg first. Having sex the day before, through a few days after ovulation, is better for conceiving a boy. On the other hand, having sex two to three days before ovulation increases your chances to conceive a girl, because the weaker X-sperms tend to live longer.
But how does one time ovulation? Normally, women ovulate approximately 14 days "before" her next period. But, too bad, not everyone can predict ovulation and it is especially hard among those who have irregular cycles.
The environment
A more acidic environment of the women's tract favours baby girls, since it will kill the Y-sperms first, leaving a greater number of X-sperms. Conversely, a more alkaline environment favours baby boys.
A douche of water with vinegar (acid) immediately before intercourse increases a chance to get a girl; a douche of water and baking soda (alkaline) will help for a boy. But don't try this without consulting your doctor! You have to dilute the douches properly, otherwise not only will they not help but it might also hurt you.
Position and depth
Deep penetration places the sperm closer to the egg, and gives Y-sperms a good start, favouring baby boys while a shallow penetration will favour baby girls. Missionary position is recommended for a baby girl and penetration from behind for a baby boy.
Other factors
Women's orgasms are important. During an orgasm, the body releases some kind of substance that makes a more alkaline environment and, in addition, the mucus plug at the cervix will loosen to give the Y-sperm a fast lane to the egg, favouring boys.
Of course, these techniques do not guarantee 100 per cent success. But if you want to try to beat the 50/50 chance, just give it a try.
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