There are many interesting pregnancy myths out there – so much so that it can be difficult to determine what is completely untrue and what is actually true. For example: the myth that you can not get pregnant when you are on your period? Not true! But the idea that heartburn during pregnancy means your baby has a lot of hair? That may actually be correct. So, where does the idea that sex positions can determine a baby’s gender fall?
It is widely believed that getting involved in certain sex positions when trying to conceive can lead to a baby of a specific sex, but for couples trying to conceive a baby of a specific sex, it seems a little too good to be true. If sex positions actually determined a baby’s gender, wouldn’t everyone be able to have the girl they always dreamed of, or the boy they really wanted?
A baby’s sex at the time of conception is determined by the combination of X and Y chromosomes that the baby gets from the egg and sperm. All eggs have one X chromosome, and sperm contain either an X or a Y chromosome, which means that your baby’s sex is determined by the sperm. Some people believe that different sex positions determine which sperm enters the ovum. But is there any truth behind these rumors? We asked experts to find out.
Missionary versus girl-at-the-top – what is the best sex position to have a girl?
If you’ve heard that having sex in a missionary position means you’ll probably have a girlfriend, you are not alone. Many people believe that sex positions that do not provide deep penetration, such as missionary, girl-on-top or spoons, mean that a couple will have a greater chance of having a girl. The idea behind this is that when there is more shallow penetration, the sperm must travel further to reach the egg, and female sperm are more able to go the distance.
“I was taught in my training that male sperms are faster and die faster, while female sperms are slower and last longer,” said dr. Betsy Greenleaf, a urologist, tells Romper. “It was only when I looked deep into the research that I discovered that it was not true. This commonly believed misconception arose from studies by researcher LB Shettles in the 1960s, and the belief that male Y-sperm is faster and physically different from female X-sperm has influenced research for years. In 1988, however, computer technology research showed that there is no difference in speed or size between male and female sperm. ” In other words? The depth of penetration during sex does not affect the sex of the baby being conceived.
Is doggy style good to have a boy?
Wondering how to have a son? Many people believe that sex positions that offer deep penetration – such as doggy styles – will result in a baby boy. Again, the thinking here is based on the so-called “Shettles method”, which claims that male sperm do not survive as long as female sperm, which means that male sperm require deep penetration to be able to reach the ovum. But as Greenleaf explained above, the Shettles method has been largely denied. Sex positions probably do not predict baby’s gender. “It’s really a game of chance,” Greenleaf said.
If a woman orgasm, does that mean she will have a girlfriend?
Another myth about sex and baby sex is that any sex position that makes a woman orgasm can mean she will have a girlfriend. Allegedly, when a woman orgasms, there is a shift in the pH balance that makes the conditions more acidic, and male sperm may not survive it as well as female sperm.
“The pH of the vagina is acidic at 3.5-4.5,” Greenleaf explains. “The pH of semen is more acidic at 7-8. Sexual arousal in a woman increases lubrication. This fluid is derived from blood and has a pH of 7 which therefore helps to neutralize the pH of the vagina, making the environment more supportive of sperm. It is true that sperm do not survive so well in an acidic environment, but sexual arousal and orgasm help to create an environment that supports sperm. ” Basically, an orgasm during sex can help with fertilization, but it is not going to determine the sex of your baby.
If you determine sex correctly, can you determine the baby’s gender?
There is also a theory that if you refrain from sex until ovulation, you can help determine the sex of a baby. “The Shettles method focused on timing intercourse as well as level vs. deep penetration,” explains Dr. Monica Grover, OB-GYN and Chief Medical Officer at VSPOT. “If a woman has intercourse a few days after menstruation, but withholds it before her ovulation, as well as on the day of her ovulation, then it would ideally determine a female sex as the X-sperm swims slowly, but ‘ “has a higher survivability than it can also adapt very well to an acidic vaginal environment. How shallow the penetration, then the X chromosome is able to thrive and the Y chromosome to survive due to the acidic vaginal pH.”
Although timing of sex around ovulation has been shown to help you conceive, it has not been shown to determine a specific sex.
Can sex positions determine a baby’s gender?
So, can a specific sex position help you “choose” the sex of your baby? In short, no. “While it may seem exciting to think something as simple as a specific position can determine a baby’s gender, studies have shown that this idea is most likely a myth and not actually accurate,” says Grover.
Are there any ways to determine a baby’s gender during conception?
We hate to break it to you, but if you’ve been hoping for one sex or another, you’ll just have to roll the dice. “There are ongoing studies, as well as clinical findings that use sophisticated reproductive technology such as computer-aided microscopes, which confirm that there are no differences between X and Y spermatozoa,” says Grover. “Other data have shown that positions or menstrual or ovulatory timing of intercourse have any merit for sex determination.”
The only way to choose the sex of your baby is through in vitro fertilization, when the sperm is treated with chemicals to separate male and female sperm. “Having sex during a lunar eclipse while eating bananas, and doing so, will not give you a baby boy,” jokes Greenleaf. “There are only a few things in life that we cannot control, and it is more important to accept and be grateful for what we do get in life.” No matter when or in what way you have sex, you cannot choose the gender of the baby you are getting pregnant with.
Experts:
Dr. Betsy AB Greenleaf, Urologist
Dr. Monica Grover, Council-certified gynecologist and health expert at VSPOT
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