A number of parents would like to know the sex of their baby before they give birth. A sonographer can generally tell you the sex of your baby at your 20 week scan, as long as they can get a good view. The difference between boys and girls is pretty apparent at this phase. A third trimester scan can usually tell the sex of your baby as there is lots of amniotic fluid around your baby and it doesn’t have its feet tucked up between its legs.
Yet, in the early weeks it’s not so simple. The gender of a baby is genetically chosen at conception, but during the early development of embryos, they all look alike.
There are masses of Old Wives tales surrounding guessing the gender of your baby. A widespread one that is supposed to distinguish between a boy and girl is the fastness of the baby’s heartbeat. 140 BPM seems to be the frequently used threshold, or “try to tell between a galloping horse and a steam train.” But surely its common sense – a baby’s heartbeat is normally irregular during development. If the baby is asleep or having a subdued time then it will be slower than when the baby is wide awake and active. This is all very common. As you probably don’t know what the baby is doing at the time, a one off heartbeat reading won’t give you any information. Carrying the baby all up front means boy and on the hips mean girl is another common one. Can this be true? What about if there is a nice regular spread all the way round? Women are all different shapes and sizes.
It is only from about 11 weeks that it becomes feasible to see any difference between the sexes. Studies show that early gender detection is a pretty hit and miss affair. Early research showed that, if babies that were lying in a position to see, very experienced sonographers using top-of-the-range scan machines got the gender correct in merely 70 per cent of cases at 11 weeks, and in merely over nine out of 10 cases at 12 weeks. In another study, sonographers could only accurately differentiate the sex in 46 per cent of babies at 12 weeks and 80 per cent at 13 weeks. A gender scan this early may not be accurate.
Being told the gender and then finding out afterwards that it was incorrect can be very distressing. Unless you need to know the gender because you have a family history of gender-linked genetic problems, it’s best to wait until your mid-pregnancy, detailed scan. By then there is a bigger probability of getting the sex right.
It is easier to distinguish the genitalia as the pregnancy develops. Adequate amniotic fluid helps the sonographer see things better; and with any luck, your baby’s legs aren’t folded into their chest.
This is why experts recommend going at least halfway through your pregnancy to get a more guaranteed look at what your baby’s sex is. A gender scan determines the sex of your baby and is commonly performed after at least 18 weeks. A reputable company should spend time establishing the sex so that they can be fairly positive in their decision, whilst there are no 100% guarantees with ultrasound. After all, it’s no joke to buy blue only to find out it should have been pink!
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