Sex Selection

So you're pregnant and you'd like to know the gender of your baby. Some methods exit that can help you. These methods cover everything from invasive and non-invasive procedures done in the doctor's office to old wives' tales you can try at home.

Let's start with the sure thing, amniocentesis. This procedure is done in a doctor's office when the baby is at high risk of a genetic abnormality. A needle is inserted in the uterus and a small amount of amniotic fluid is removed. This fluid is analyzed to see if the baby has any genetic problems.

In the course of this analysis, the gender of the child is determined. Because amniocentesis carries with it a certain amount of risk, doctors do not perform it just to determine the baby's gender.

Your next option is the one most expectant parents use--ultrasound. Recent advances have taken place in ultrasound technology over the past few years. Currently, the chances of correctly learning the gender of your baby are pretty good. If the technician and your doctor are fairly skilled at interpreting the images, you should know if you're having a boy or a girl, usually before your 30th week.

Can ultrasounds be wrong? Sure, sometimes you'll hear of someone being told they were having a girl and then actually having a boy. These cases are pretty rare, but they do happen. The best approach is to ask your doctor how certain he or she is of the gender before you buy a lot of pink or blue clothing.

Looking for a fun way to guess the gender? You can use the heartbeat test. The theory is that if your baby's heart rate is faster than 140 beats per minute, you're having a girl. If, however, the baby's heart rate is lower than 140 beats per minute, then you're having a boy. Your doctor can tell you how many times your baby's heart beats per minute at your next appointment.

Another old wives' tale revolves around how you carry the baby. If you carry the baby mostly in the front, then the theory is you're having a boy. If, however, you gain weight all around your midsection, you're having a girl.

One other fun method some moms-to-be use is the Chinese lunar calendar. You'll find this calendar on many websites. The theory is that if you take the mother's age and the month in which the baby was conceived, the lunar calendar can tell you the gender of the baby.

How accurate are some of these old wives' tales? Well, you have about a fifty-fifty chance of them being right, so don't run out and paint the room blue or pink just yet. Sure, these old-fashioned tests are fun, but let's face it, they're not accurate.

When it comes right down to it, the surest way to tell if you're having a boy or a girl is to wait until you give birth. Then, you'll finally know for sure.