For many years, humanity has tried to choose the sex of babies, whether for social reasons or just an old desire to have a boy or a girl.
However, There are several ethical issues associated with selecting the baby’s sex and, for this reason, the medical community has not yet approved the use of gene editing or sperm selection techniques for this purpose..
For this reason, the search for natural methods that can help you get pregnant more easily with a girl or a boy has increased. Below, we show you some natural methods that seem to be confirmed by science and that help you get pregnant with a girl, as well as those that seem to have no basis or that, at least, have not yet been studied.
If you’re trying to have a boy, check out proven methods for getting pregnant with a boy
What determines the baby’s sex
The baby’s sex is genetically determined through the presence of a pair of chromosomes, scientifically called sex chromosomes, which can be of two types: X or Y. When the baby has a pair of X chromosomes, that is, an XX pair, it means which is a girl, if it has an XY pair, it is a boy.
Since the mother is always female and, therefore, only has type X chromosomes in the egg, the baby’s sex is determined by the father’s sperm, which can be either X or Y. Thus, if the sperm is X, the baby will be a girl (XX) and if it is Y, it will be a boy (XY).
Scientifically proven methods
There are few studies on the effectiveness of natural ways to choose the baby’s sex, and most of them were carried out many years ago. Still, there are some theories that seem to help those who want to get pregnant with a girl.and include:
1. Having sex 2 to 4 days before ovulation
This theory first emerged around the year 1970, when it was first discovered that type Y sperm have a shorter lifespan than type X. This implied that the further away from ovulation a woman had sexual intercourse, The tendency to have a boy seemed to be lower, as type Y sperm could not survive long enough to fertilize the egg.
In 2010, a study carried out in the Netherlands demonstrated that this theory appears to be true, as there was a high success rate for having girls in couples who had sexual activity only 2 to 4 days before ovulation.
How to make: the woman should only have sex 2 to 4 days before ovulation, avoiding sexual contact after this period. This method works best for women with a regular cycle, as they can more accurately predict the day of ovulation. Check out how to find out what day you ovulate.
2. Increase calcium consumption
Being careful with the type of diet as a way to have a girl is another very old theory, which appeared when it was observed that in some aquatic mammals, the mother’s diet seems to influence the sex of the baby.
Furthermore, in a survey carried out in the United Kingdom, where more than 700 couples were interviewed, researchers discovered that the concentration of some minerals in the diet also seemed to affect the sex of the baby, as women who ate a diet richer in calcium and magnesium seemed to have more daughters than sons.
The food hypothesis was studied more recently in 2010, in the Netherlands, where another study, which involved more than 100 couples, confirmed that women who had a higher concentration of calcium in their bodies, after increasing their consumption of this type of food as well as supplementation with the mineral, showed a high success rate for having a girl. As for magnesium, no relationship was found.
How to make: Women who are trying to get pregnant with a girl can increase their calcium intake, giving preference to foods such as cheese, milk or almonds, for example. This type of diet should be started between 5 and 9 weeks before you intend to get pregnant, as this was the time used in the 2010 study. Check out a list of the foods richest in calcium.
3. Having sex 1 to 3 days before the peak day
The peak day is a concept that was first introduced in the Billings, which is a method widely used by women trying to increase their chances of getting pregnant. In this method, the woman must evaluate the type of mucus that is released from the vagina, in order to identify when she is at her most fertile, as the characteristics of this mucus vary throughout the menstrual cycle. The peak day corresponds to the last day on which the mucus is most liquid and which normally occurs around 24 hours before ovulation.
According to the peak day theory, women who have sex before that day are more likely to have a girl, while women who have sex after that day are more likely to have a boy.
This theory was confirmed in 2011 in Nigeria, where a study, based on the peak day method, demonstrated a success rate of over 85% for getting a girl to have sex 1 to 3 days before that day. This theory also seems to fit with the theory of having sexual intercourse 2 to 4 days before ovulation, as the peak day happens about 24 hours before ovulation.
How to make: To have a girl following this theory, a woman should have sexual intercourse only 1 to 3 days before the peak day. To have a greater chance of success, the woman must also know the method of Billingswhich helps identify the peak day.
How to get pregnant faster
To get pregnant quickly, the most important thing is not to have any gynecological disease, as well as to have sexual intercourse during the fertile period. Enter your details into the calculator below to find out which are the best days to get pregnant:
Check out some other tips to get pregnant faster.
Methods without scientific proof
There are also other methods that have been used since ancient times, but which do not have scientific proof or have not yet been studied. These include:
1. Use the Chinese table
This is one of the methods that has no scientific proof and consists of using a Chinese table, based on astrology, to try to predict the sex of the baby according to the month of conception and the woman’s lunar age. This table, according to some legends, was used by a Chinese king, who used it to ensure that he always had male heirs.
However, in a study carried out between 1973 and 2006, its effectiveness was refuted and, therefore, this method does not have any support from the scientific community. Understand better the theory of the Chinese table and why it doesn’t work.
2. Orgasm at the same time or after your partner
According to this theory, if the woman has an orgasm at the same time or after the man, the Y sperm have greater difficulty in reaching the egg first, as the vaginal pH will be more acidic, which favors the X sperm, which give rise to girls.
This theory seems to be defended by some gynecologists and obstetricians, however, there is no recent research that confirms this result.
3. Being underneath your partner during sex
According to this method, if the woman is below her partner during sex or in another position where penetration is less deep, the X sperm appear to be favored and are able to fertilize the egg before the Y sperm.
Although it is based on a true theory, there are no studies on the relationship between the position of sexual intercourse and the success of getting a girl or boy. Therefore, this theory can be used, but it does not have any scientific proof.
