During early pregnancy, we have always refer to baby in your womb as “it”. Your baby’s genitals start to develop around week 11 of your pregnancy. With the modern technology advancement, your OBGYN doctor can now identify the gender of your baby by using a non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) like NICE® or by using an ultrasound at about 20 weeks into your pregnancy, and this is by far the most reliable way to tell a baby’s sex.
But we simply can’t wait, can we?
Friends and families always have their own theories of reading the signs during pregnancy that tells the gender of your baby, some being traditional wisdom, some being baseless hearsay. Here are some of the most popular theories and the science – if any – behind it:
1. Morning Sickness
You would have already experienced severe morning sickness during your early stage of pregnancy – some say that this is a sign of having a baby girl.
Myth or fact?
Recent research suggests that feeling ill during pregnancy may be linked to the gender of the baby. The research shows that women carrying baby girl experienced more inflammation when their immune system were exposed to bacteria compared to those carrying boys, suggesting that such difference may impact the way women carrying girls experience morning sickness. However, this is not conclusive and further research is needed to confirm this theory.
2. Mood swings
Your hormonal level shoots up during pregnancy. This is your body’s way of preparing you for growing a baby in your womb. Such hormonal changes during pregnancy can often cause mood swings. Some suggested that women carrying girls have higher levels of estrogen and are thus moodier, experiencing a more extreme mood swing.
Myth or fact?
Unfortunately, researches do not support this theory. Your hormonal levels rise during pregnancy and fall after giving birth regardless of the gender of the baby.
3. Food cravings
When you are pregnant with a baby boy, you would have a huge craving for sour or salty food. With girls, however, you would have a huge craving of sweets and chocolates.
Myth or fact?
There has yet to be conclusive studies performed on food cravings as an accurate predictor of sex. Experts suggest those cravings probably have more to do with your changing nutritional needs or your personal food preferences.
4. Carrying
Carrying the baby high are often taken as a sign of having a girl. Carrying low? It’s likely a boy.
Myth or fact?
Definitely a myth. In fact, how you carry during pregnancy has more to do with the shape of your uterus, your body type, your fitness level, and your muscle strength.
Takeaway? Most, if not all. theories are merely myths that needs debunking. Choose to know your baby’s gender early so that you can plan for their nursery by opting for NICE® test or wait till the ultrasound scans show. Most important of all, whether it’s a boy or a girl, “it” is still your most precious angel!