If your doctor has you in for genetic testing early in your pregnancy, he or she will probably also be able to tell the baby’s sex within the results. Keep in mind doctors do not perform this tests normally. She or he would only risk this type of test if your history or family history determines that there is a need for it. These tests are nearly 99% accurate in telling you the baby’s sex.

There are 2 different genetic test you could take: amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS).

Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is generally done after week 14. This test can be used to determine if your baby has a chromosomal disorder or for fetal lung maturity. The doctor would insert a needle through your belly and into the placenta to withdraw fluid. An ultrasound is used at the same time to guide the needle and keep it away from the baby.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)

CVS can be a done between the 8-10th week. This test is only for determining if your baby has a chromosomal disorder. The doctor places a small needle is placed either through the abdomen or through the vagina near the uterus to collect a small sample. Here an ultrasound is used to guide the needler away from the baby.

Fortunately, an ultrasound can give a fairly dependable answer and since it is a commonly prescribed, non-invasive procedure, it is very likely you can find out, if your want, the sex of your baby.

On the other hand, unfortunately, an ultrasound usually cannot tell your baby’s sex early in the pregnancy, so you may have to be patient. Most medical professionals will have you take an ultrasound exam between the 20th and 24th week to make sure the baby is healthy. At that time the technician may be able to see the baby’s genitalia to tell if it is a boy or a girl. The sonologist or sonographer actually looks to see the penis and scrotum to tell if it’s a a boy or for a labia in the case of a girl.

You may not be able to find anything recognizable while you watch the monitor, but your technician should know what to look for and is often able to tell you if it’s a boy or a girl.

However, not every tech is skilled and not every ultrasound scan provides a clear picture. This is what you should know about the results.

• The baby’s sex is detectable by about 20 weeks, sometimes as early as week 16, and with very modern equipment, even as early as 11 to 12 weeks.
• On the other hand, if the baby if positioned in a funny way, abdominal wall is thick or the amniotic fluid very thick, if may be difficult to tell the baby’s sex in an ultrasound.
• The absence of the penis does not mean a girl. An experienced technician should know to actually look for the baby’s genitalia to tell for sure.
• You can see the genitalia of a girl. A good technician can make out the outline of the labia. The 3-lines sign which denotes the labia in the fetus is a very valid and accurate indication of the female gender.
• The accuracy of determining the baby’s sex in an ultrasound is somewhere between 95 and 100% at 20 weeks or beyond, when the operator can see the baby’s sex.
• A vaginal ultrasound is not necessarily more accurate than an abdominal ultrasound. With the less-commonly performed transvaginal ultrasound, a narrow transducer has a protective cover and lubricant placed in it, and it is inserted in the vagina to scan the ovaries and uterus. Since the transducer may get closer to the target area, this scan can provide better detail. But the viewpoint is more limited than an abdominal scan, so this type of scan may or may not provide information about the sex.

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HOW YOU CARRY – a commonly tradition is calling the baby’s sex by the way you are carrying the child. Obviously, one couldn’t even make this determination until late in the pregnancy. If you’re carrying low, you’re having a boy. If you are carrying high, then you must be having a girl. However, doctors generally say the way you carry is determined by muscle and uterine tone as well as the position of your baby. Now, we just need to wait for the studies that show whether baby boys or girls prefer certain position.

HEART RATE – One myth states that if your baby’s heart rate was is under 140 beats per minute, expect a boy. If the heart rate was at 140 or over, then you would be having a girl. However, to date, there has never been a study that has shown this theory is to be accurate.

DRANO – I can’t say that there is scientific evidence backing it up, but the Drano test has been around for a while. Keep in mind, Drano gives of toxic fumes. Do this test outside.

CRAVINGS – The belief is that your cravings are caused by the sex of your baby. Sour cravings–like sucking on lemons–means a little boy. Some also say the craving for salty foods also means a boy. On the other hand, the desire for sweets–soda, chocolate, even fruit–means a girl.

MAYAN METHOD – The ancient Mayans believed that you could tell a baby’s sex by comparing the mother’s age at conception with the year of conception. If both numbers are even or both are odd, you’ll have be a girl. If one number is even and the other is odd, the baby is a boy.

CHINESE METHOD – With a Chinese Lunar Calendars, it is said you can determine your baby’s sex. If you compare the mother’s age at conception and the month of conception, you can accurately predict the sex of the baby using the birth chart. The result you get may vary with the different versions of the calenda found on the Web.

BREAST SIZE – Next time you get out of the bath, look in the mirror at your breasts. If the left one is bigger, it’s a girl. If the right one is larger, you’re having a boy! (If they’re the same size? Twins?)

Technorati Tags: baby gender, baby sex, Boy or Girl