You can usually learn your baby’s sex through genetic screening or an ultrasound. The contour of your bump, your food cravings, or morning sickness won’t reliably indicate whether you’re carrying a boy or a girl.
During pregnancy, you’ll likely receive plenty of unsolicited advice about your changing body and the baby inside.
One of the most common conversation topics is whether the little one you’re expecting is male or female. There are numerous old wives’ tales and pieces of folklore on the subject.
Below is some information to help you distinguish myth from reality.
When is sex established?
Your baby’s sex is determined the moment the sperm fertilizes the egg. At conception, the baby receives 23 chromosomes from each parent, which set the sex. Other traits—such as eye color, hair color, and even aspects of cognition—are also established then.
The baby’s genitalia begin forming around the 11th week of pregnancy. Still, you typically won’t be able to reliably learn the sex until several weeks later with ultrasound imaging.
Common myths
Here are five widely circulated old wives’ tales about predicting a baby’s sex. Keep in mind none of these are rooted in scientific evidence. They’re myths meant mainly for fun.
Note: Even if some of these seem to apply to you (or have in the past), there’s only a 50-50 chance they’re accurate.
1. Morning sickness
It’s often suggested that how severe your morning sickness is can hint at the baby’s sex.
The belief goes that higher hormone levels during pregnancies with girls cause more nausea, while pregnancies with boys bring milder symptoms.
In reality, morning sickness varies widely from one pregnancy to another and isn’t a reliable indicator of sex.
2. Skin and hair changes
Some say that carrying a girl will “steal” the mother’s beauty and trigger breakouts, whereas carrying a boy will leave your skin clearer.
Similar beliefs claim a boy will give you shinier, fuller hair, while a girl will make it flat and lackluster.
There’s no scientific basis for these ideas. Hormonal changes differ among individuals. Simple skincare routines, like regular face cleansing, can help manage acne.
3. Food cravings
One old tale suggests cravings for salty or savory foods—think pickles and chips—mean you’re expecting a boy, while hankering for sweets and chocolate signals a girl.
There’s no robust research showing cravings accurately predict fetal sex. Cravings are more likely linked to nutritional shifts and individual taste changes during pregnancy.
4. Fetal heart rate
A very common myth is that a fetal heart rate below 140 beats per minute points to a boy, while a rate above 140 indicates a girl.
Although this sounds scientific, there’s no solid evidence supporting it. Both male and female fetuses can have varying heart rates that don’t reliably correlate with sex.
5. How you carry
People often claim carrying low means you’re having a boy and carrying high means a girl is on the way.
Actually, the way you carry a pregnancy is influenced more by the shape of your uterus, your body type, and abdominal muscle tone than by the baby’s sex.
How soon can you find out?
There are several methods to learn your baby’s sex earlier in pregnancy, including the following options.
Cell-free DNA blood tests
You can now do a blood test as early as nine weeks gestation that can reveal the baby’s sex.
Cell-free DNA tests such as Panorama work because small fragments of the baby’s DNA circulate in the mother’s blood. You provide a blood sample, it’s analyzed at the lab, and results typically come back in about 7 to 10 days.
However, determining sex is not the main purpose of these tests. Their primary role is early screening for Down syndrome and other chromosomal conditions.
Because finding the sex is incidental, these tests aren’t always covered by insurance unless you’re over 35 or have a family history that warrants genetic screening.
Other genetic tests
Procedures like amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) can also reveal sex, but they’re more invasive. These tests are usually done for diagnostic reasons rather than simply to learn the baby’s sex.
A CVS is typically performed between weeks 10 and 12, while amniocentesis usually takes place between weeks 15 and 18.
If your sole goal is to know the sex, clinicians generally won’t recommend these tests because they carry some miscarriage risk and are intended to detect chromosomal or genetic problems.
Ultrasound
An ultrasound during the mid-pregnancy anatomy scan—usually done between 18 and 20 weeks—can often determine the baby’s sex.
The sonographer examines the fetus on the screen, looking for genital markers indicative of a boy or girl as part of the broader anatomy survey.
Even with ultrasound, the technician may not always be able to tell the sex depending on the baby’s position and other factors.
If the baby isn’t in a cooperative position, you might need a follow-up scan to get a clear view.
Conclusion
Learning the sex of your baby is an exciting milestone. You’ll likely come across many methods people claim can predict it, but remember most of these are merely folklore rather than fact. Be patient—you’ll discover the baby’s sex soon enough!
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