Almost all moms-to-be are curious to know the sex of the little one. They often ask doctors “How many weeks do I have to be to find out the gender of my baby?” Actually, there is a designated period when you may get to know this, besides, there are ways of determining the sex of a baby. Interested? Then, take your best prenatal vitamins and keep reading! Here we’ll discuss the terms and accurate methods of prediction gender of the baby.
When Can You Know The Gender Of Your Baby
Although some people like the suspense of not knowing the gender of their little one until the delivery, others do wish to know. A million-dollar question for many future mommies after they find out about a pregnancy “When will I know the sex of my baby? Will I have a boy or a girl?”
And throughout history parents-to-be want to know the baby’s sex as soon as it was possible. They consult the stars, waved crystals over the mother’s belly, or measured the baby’s heart rate and had 50/50 chances of guessing right.
Fortunately, nowadays we have lots of science-proof ways to determine the babe’s gender. The period when you can get to know this depends on the method you use. So, when do you find out the gender? The quick answer is – during the first trimester. However, the terms and methods vary, let’s take a closer look at them.
What Week Do You Find Out Gender
As it was mentioned above, the time when you can learn the baby’s sex depends on the method you use. Here is a list of these methods and a time span you can do them.
- Preimplantation genetic testing during in vitro fertilization (IVF) – as the name implies, you’ll know the gender of embryos even before you get pregnant.
- Early gender DNA tests – 9 weeks of pregnancy
- Blood test for gender – 10 weeks of pregnancy
- Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) – between 10 and 13 weeks
- Amniocentesis – between 15 and 20 weeks
- Ultrasound – between 16 and 20 weeks. During this period, a technician can get a clear view of the fetus’ genitals.
We’ll discuss these methods in detail further in the article, keep reading, and don’t forget to take the best prenatal vitamins – it’s important for you and your little one’s health!
When Can You Find Out Gender Of Twins
It’s more difficult to learn the sex of the twins, and often you have to wait to see it yourself when your little ones arrive. But, of course, you can try! Time spans and methods are the same as with a single fetus. However, there are some peculiarities you should know about. The twins can be identical (fraternal) and non-identical; they can live in one or in different placentas, but more often identical twins share the same placenta and have the same sex. So, if the midpregnant ultrasound shows 2 fetuses in one placenta, more likely they will be of the same gender.
Also, if you do early tests, like CVS and it shows Y-chromosome, one of the babies will definitely be a boy.
In case you undergo fertility treatment, successful rates of gender selection for IVF/PGD are high. So, if you have medical indications or conditions, you can choose a particular gender for your kids.
Ways To Find Out Gender Of Baby
You have already seen that there are lots of methods to find out the sex of your baby. If you really want to know, let’s take a closer look at these methods.
NIPT - Non-invasive prenatal testing
It’s an accurate baby gender predictor which is also called cell-free DNA testing. This test is created to find chromosomal abnormalities in a fetus, including Down syndrome. The test checks a sample of the blood, which has tiny parts of fetal DNA; they are released from the placenta into the bloodstream. Despite the main goal of NIPT is to screen for chromosomal conditions or abnormalities, the test also checks the baby’s DNA. This way it gives future parents a good chance to find out the little one’s gender. If the test detects a Y-chromosome, a boy is going to arrive; if not, you’ll have a girl.
NIPT is up to 97% precise. Plus, it’s safe for a fetus since the test is non-invasive – no risk to you or baby. The main drawback of NIPT is its cost, insurance doesn’t cover it. You can take this test on the 10th week of pregnancy; the result will be ready in about 10 days.
CVS - Chorionic villus sampling
Chorionic villus sampling is another test aimed to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities and conditions, such as Down syndrome, and genetic problems (cystic fibrosis) in a fetus.
The procedure can be done in two ways: 1) a thin plastic tube is inserted through the cervix – transcervical CVS; 2) a needle is injected into the belly – transabdominal CVS. The purpose is to reach the placenta and take a tiny piece of placental tissue to make a test. A doctor will use ultrasound pictures to help to guide the needle or tube to the right spot in the placenta. As it was said above, this test is designed to detect genetic abnormalities, however, it reveals the sex of the baby as well.
The accuracy of this test is almost 99%. CVS is an invasive procedure and can lead to miscarriage, so doctors don’t recommend it just for gender prediction. This test can be done between the 10th and 13th weeks of pregnancy; you’ll get the results in about 2 weeks.
Amnio - Amniocentesis
It is another test designed to get information from DNA, including the baby’s sex. This method is invasive – a technician will inject a thin needle into the amniotic sac to have a little amount of amniotic liquid; this liquid then will be analyzed for genetic abnormalities. It may be a bit painful, plus there is a risk of inflammation or bleeding that could cause miscarriage. As this procedure might be dangerous for the fetus, do not do it just to learn the baby’s gender.
The amnio test can be done between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. This test is considered one of the most precise ones, it is almost 100% accurate. The results will be ready in 7-15 days.
Ultrasound
How early can you see a baby on an ultrasound? The fetus’s external genitals are formed by the 14th week of pregnancy, so technically an ultrasound can be done anytime after this period. However, the full baby’s anatomical development isn’t completed until the 18th-20th week, that’s why an anatomy scan is performed during this period. A technician can give visual verification of the fetus’s sex unless the position of the baby makes it hard to determine the gender. The accuracy of ultrasound is up to 99%, however, it depends on the sonographer’s skills and the fetus’ position. The result is instant, the technician will tell you the gender in real-time during the procedure. Besides, there’s no risk to you or your little one.
Home Test To Determine Gender Of Baby
You can find out the gender of the baby at home; it’s as easy as performing the best ovulation test. You can find them in the local drugstore. Tests may vary – in a way they work and how accurate they are; some tests need urine while others test blood. However, such tests are not approved by any major medical organizations. They might not be too accurate or reliable.
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Old wives’ tales
- If you’re too hungry all the time during pregnancy, you might be pregnant with a boy. They believe that hormone testosterone produced by a baby boy increases a woman’s appetite.
- If you hear the higher fetal heartbeat – over 140 bpm, it means you’re expecting a girl.
- You’re having a girl if you forget everything during pregnancy.
- If your belly is low you are having a boy, and if it is high, a baby girl will arrive.
Do Gender Tests Work
Tests conducted in medical organizations or hospitals really work and they are accurate. Whereas at-home tests lack scientific proof, they can’t be reliable predictors. Such tests are just for fun and give only a 50/50 chance of being precise, the same as guessing. So, if you need an exact result, the right advice here is to take the best prenatal vitamins, breathe deep, be patient and go to a reliable medical organization, where you get a professional consultation and help.
Conclusion
Sometimes knowing the baby’s gender is not just a caprice, and a woman must know it to exclude the possibility of genetic diseases in a baby of a particular gender. That’s when the knowledge of different methods of predicting a baby’s sex and the time to conduct one of them come handy.
We, at parenthoodroutine.com, hope that our post has helped and cleared out some misunderstandings. Our team is always here to help you with any parenting questions.
