Gender Determination

Valid Methods

The only valid ways to truly determine the sex of your baby before delivery are the following:

  • CVS test
  • Amniocentesis test
  • Ultrasound after 14 weeks by an expert
  • Pre-implantation gender selection
  • Maternal blood draw using new DNA technology (see below)

BEWARE THE SCAMS AND CONS

Selnas Method, BabyChoice, Jonas Method, Chinese Calendar, GenSelect, Smart Stork

These methods involve predicting or causing the sex of the baby depending on the day of fertilization using some type of "mystical" calendar or some magical vitamin or vaginal douche. There are many variations. They require some bizarre calculations using the stars, the sun, the horoscope, or some natural formula determined after "years of painstaking research". They all involve sending money to some company that promises amazing results with a money-back guarantee. Just try to get your money back.

These promoters and their web sites make me sick. They use pseudo-scientific language, yet in reality their explanations are scientifically impossible. However, since many people don't care about proof, they only care about how things sound, they will send their money and take their chances. These methods are a scam, are completely bogus, and anyone who spends money on them deserves to be ripped off.

Sex Check Study - 95% accurate

Recently, I came across the web site of Pink or Blue. This test claims to be able to detect the presence or absence of Y-chromosomal DNA in a pregnant woman's bloodstream after 10 weeks gestation. If Y chromosome DNA is detected, she must be carrying a boy, and if none is detected, she is carrying a girl. Being skeptical, I e-mailed this company.

Well, they hired me to conduct a study of 20 pregnant women! We performed an ultrasound at 16 weeks and recorded the sex of the baby. Then (with the patient's permission), we drew one tube of her blood and send it anonymously to the lab. We knew the baby's sex and they don't.

We recorded every result, and after all 20 were done, we presented this data to the company. They told me that they should be able to get 19 of 20 correct.

Addendum: We completed our study in November, 2009. The results showed 19 of 20 correct. Congratulations to the Pink or Blue Company!