Saturday, November 28, 2009

Can You Choose Your Baby's Gender?

By Kathy Forcey

Pregnancy is a great time of life for many couples. While you impatiently wait for your bundle of joy to make its appearance, you'll find that there are plenty of people who will offer their opinions on your baby's gender. It seems that everyone is a baby gender predictor when they see a mommy-to-be.

Of course, there are many old wives tales ranging from the shape and size of your belly to how you look at your fingernails to the kinds of food you crave during your pregnancy. While these baby gender predictor tricks can be funny, they're questionable as to accuracy.

Reputed to be highly accurate as a baby gender predictor is the Chinese pregnancy or baby prediction calendar. This ancient document was uncovered in royal burial grounds in China and is till being used by women all over the world to determine their baby's sex as well as a tool in pre-pregnancy gender planning.

It used to be extremely difficult to predict a baby's gender before birth, but with the advent of the ultrasound machine, this has become a reality for many expectant parents. The best time to perform the sonogram is during the middle of the second trimester. It is a non-invasive procedure and can be quite accurate if performed under the right conditions.

The ultrasound procedure itself is fairly straightforward. The only discomfort for most women may be the need to drink lots of water before the sonogram. Other than that, a cool gel is spread across the abdomen and a scanner is used to "see" inside the womb. Although the ultrasound can be quite accurate, factors such as the direction the baby is facing or its size or fetal age may affect the outcome of the scan and make it less functional as a baby gender predictor.

The truth of the matter is that laboratory examination of the amniotic fluid is the only current means of accurately determining a baby's sex prior to birth. Unfortunately, amniocentesis is an invasive procedure which carries a risk of harm to the fetus and should never be undertaken for the sole purpose as a baby gender predictor.

These days, it's not uncommon for expectant parents to want to learn the sex of their baby beforehand. With busy lives and exciting, yet unknown changes, anything that can make the anticipation of a new baby's arrival a little easier is often a welcome relief. With baby gender predictor information, new parents can plan better and feel less harried when their precious bundle finally arrives.

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