Baby Gender Predictor

When you are expecting, it is natural to be curious about baby gender predictors. Everyone seems to have an opinion about your baby's gender. Your grandma predicts a girl because of your craving for sweets yet an aunt insists it's a boy by the shape of your belly. Baby prediction methods range from old wives' tales to DNA tests. If you are curious about gender of your baby during pregnancy, you may be able to take a guess before the ultrasound.

For centuries, people have tried to predict baby gender before birth. Many early methods are known as old wives' tales, which describes any prediction method that is not backed by scientific evidence. However, a significant number of people swear these prediction methods worked for their pregnancies.

Early baby gender predictors include:

• The mother's stomach: If a woman carries the baby high in a large and round belly, she is carrying a girl. A protruding belly carried low indicates a boy. This tale is often not true because a woman's body shape and pre-pregnancy health determine how she carries the baby. Some health conditions, such as uterine fibroids, can also affect the shape of the belly during pregnancy.

• The mother's face: An expectant mother whose face grows round will have a girl. Some tales also claim that the mother's nose grows longer or wider during pregnancy when a woman has a girl. A woman whose face narrows during pregnancy will have a boy. Despite the tale, weight gain in the face during pregnancy is usually not related to baby gender.

• Acne: Some believe that pregnancy acne means you will have a girl. Yet, hormones can cause acne during any pregnancy.

• Back pain: Back pain may indicate a girl. In reality, back pain can occur during any pregnancy depending on weight gain, baby position, and the condition of your back.

• Heart rate: Take the baby's heart rate during pregnancy for gender clues. A girl baby has a fast heart rate, around 170 beats per minute. A boy baby's heart rate is closer to 150 beats per minute. This is an unreliable prediction method because the baby's heart rate will fluctuate throughout the day.

• Wedding ring test: Hang your wedding ring from a string and hold it over your belly. If the ring swings in a circle motion, you are having a boy. If the ring swings back and forth, it is a girl.

• Key test: Pick up a key. If you grabbed it by the top, you are having a boy. If you picked it up by the bottom, the baby is a girl. Picking the key up in the middle means that you will have twins.

• Drain-O test: The Drain-O test is a modern old wives' tale. Pour a tablespoon of Drain-O in a cup and urinate into the cup. If the urine turns blue, the baby is a boy. If the mixture turns green, you will have a girl.

• Garlic test: Eat a clove of garlic. If eating the clove makes you exude a strong garlic scent, you will have a boy. If there is little to no odor, you will have a girl.

Modern baby gender prediction methods:

• Ultrasound: An ultrasound at 16-20 weeks gestation can give you the best idea of your baby's gender because the technician can sometimes see the baby's genital area during the scan. However, even ultrasounds gender results can be wrong depending on the baby's position in the womb.

• DNA test: DNA tests are now available to help predict baby gender. A recent product, "Pink or Blue", promises to provide gender results as early as 7 weeks into pregnancy.

Consumer Genetics created a new over-the-counter baby gender prediction test, "Pink or Blue Test" that costs $194. The test claims 95 percent accuracy and can be taken any time after 7 weeks of pregnancy.

A woman pricks her finger and places blood on circles on special cards. No male should be present during the test to prevent potential contamination with male DNA. She then mails the card to Consumer Genetics for processing. The laboratory will use the blood samples to test for the presence of male DNA. The presence of male DNA indicates a boy baby. If male DNA is not present, the results predict a girl.

Consumer Genetics publish test results are online or by e-mail within three to five days of receiving the blood samples.

No baby gender prediction methods are 100 percent accurate. Each pregnancy is unique and women experience a variety of symptoms in pregnancies for both genders. Yet, the various pregnancy symptoms associated with old wives' tales are often related to the mother's pre-pregnancy health, body type, hormone levels, and genetics instead of baby gender. During an ultrasound, the position of the baby sometimes leads the technician to misinterpret gender. Many doctors will tell you that your baby's birth is the only error-proof way to discover gender.

The Internet has a wealth of baby gender prediction information, including:

• Baby Gender Prediction: The site has a number of different gender prediction resources, including a Chinese gender chart.
• Child Birth: The Child Birth site has a gender prediction quiz.
• Baby Gender Tool: The site has a selection of online tools to predict baby gender.

Baby gender predictors are a fun way to indulge your curiosity. The gender prediction quizzes make enjoyable baby shower games. You may not know your baby's gender until his or her birth, but you can certainly dream about the possibilities.

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