Boy or Girl?

For as long as women have been having babies, people have been coming up with ways to influence the sex of their unborn child. From drinking Pepsi and gorging chocolate, to making love under a full moon, couples who'd give anything for a daughter or a son have given some of the 'old wives' methods a shot. Of course, none of these have been endorsed by the medical community and debate continues over whether it's even ethical to choose the sex of your child. Nevertheless, supporters of these somewhat dubious sex selection methods swear by them, espeically if they had gotten what they wanted.

What The Experts Say

Science tells us that a sperm carrying an X chromosome produces a female while one carrying a Y chromosome produces a male. And prevailing sex selection theories require couples to time intercourse based on ovulation.

Why? Because the male sperm, with its rounded head, is a far better swimmer than its female counterpart; the sluggish female sperm with its tapered head. However, the female is hardier and can withstand viginal secretions better.

Based on this, the expers recommend that cuople have intercourse 24-48 hours before a woman ovulates if they want a boy because the Y-sperms tend to swim to the egg first and fertilise it. If couples have intercourse 3 days or more before ovulation, the better their chances of conceiving a girl as the weaker Y-sperms tend to die sooner and the X-sperms will be in greater quantity whenever the egg is released.

Perhaps, the sex selection method best supported by scientific evidence is that of Dr Landrum B Shettles and Dr David M Rorvik. In their bestseller, How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby, the pair explains that the day before a woman ovulates, her body basal temperature rises. Also, during ovulation a woman's cervical mucus resembles raw egg white - wet, and stringy and stretchable. Combine the 2 methods and you have a fairly accurate way to tell when you have ovulated. Couples who know when the egg is likely to be released, can time their intercourse to favour the conception of boys or girls.

Besides the timing of ovulation during the monthly menstrual cycle, the experts have also identified several other things couples can do to influence the sex of their baby:

Douche - The pH of the women's tract is considered to be an important factor in determining gender. An acidic environment favours girls, since it will kill the weaker Y-sperm first, leaving a greater quantity of X-sperms available to fertilise the egg. On the other hand, a more alkaline environment favours boys. Hence, Dr Shettles recommends a douche of water and vinegar immediately before intercourse to favour a girl, while a douche of baking soda will help for a boy.

Coital Position - Position of intercourse and depth of penetration have also been identified as important considerations in influencing baby's sex. A deep penetration (by the rear) during intercourse places the sperm closer to the egg, enabling the male sperm to swim directly into the reproductive tract, without the risk of being killed by the acidic environment of the vagina. The missionary position facilitates shallow penetration and is ideal if you want girls.

Women should also avoid orgasms when trying for girls, explains Drs Shettles and Rorvik. When a woman has an orgasm, the body releases a kind of substance that makes the environment more alkaline, and hence more ideal for the male sperm to survive.

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Does It Work?

As easy as the method sound, does it guarantee success? Not always, according to Dr Christopher Chen, director, senior consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist as well as infertility specialist at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at Gleneagles Hospital. Shettles claims a success rate of about 75-80%. However, there have been as many failures reported from this method as well.

"Temperature charts and cervical mucus are indirect evidence of the event of ovulation," explains Dr Chen who achieved the world's first IVF frozen egg pregnancies and IVF triplets. "The actual time when ovulation takes place cannot be determined, so couples trying for a boy or girl, will find it a hit-or-miss affair." Dr Chen adds that to take a stand on this issue is difficult as there is not enough evidence to say that Shettles concepts are wrong, or correct.

In fact, Dr Chen reveals that some doctors dish out old wives' tales to their patients because they are harmless and there may be some truth behind them. He cites the Lunar Fertility Cycle where women are said to be fertile during a certain phase of the Moon. In the 1950s, Czech psychiatrist Dr Eugen Jonas discovered that women's menstrual cycles are inextricably woven in with the cycles of the Moon - they are constantly moved by the effect of gravity, ionisation and the monthly push and pull of the Moon's electromagnetic field. These electromagnectic forces were also found to help the male sperm swim better towards the female reproductive tract.

"This is true," says Dr Chen, "as it is a known scientific fact that sperms, like magnets, have a certain degree of polarity. Sperms tend to head for the negative pole because they have a positive polarity." So, positioning during intercourse then becomes a crucial factor, requiring the woman to face the North-South direction. "The downside of this approach is that couples have to use a compass to judge the correct alignment," says Dr Chen.

All said and done, Dr Chen emphasises that the desire for a child of a particular gender shouldn't border on obsession. "Infertility is increasingly a problem amoung couples. It is difficult enough to achieve conception, so choosing the gender of the baby should not be a point of contention."

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What The Old Wives Say

Dr Shettles recommends a cup of caffeinated coffee for the man, right before sex. He does not know how or why this works, but apparently it gives Y-sperm a boost into the women's reproductive tract. It has worked for some couples, and not others. But since it doesn't hurt, doctors say there is no harm in doing it. Here are some more old wives' tales - bizarre or with basis? You decide.

If you want a boy...
• Eat more meat - the redder the better
• Stick with salty snacks, eg. Chips, pretzel, etc
• Ask your husband to wear socks during love making
• Make love when there's a quarter moon
• Dads-to-be should stock up on cola
• Make love standing up
• Sleep to the left of your partner
• Lie down after sex and stay there for a while to 
  allow the male sperm a chance to beat the girl sperm 
  to the egg
• Make love on odd days of the month
• Eat foods rich in potassium such as meat, fish, 
   vegetables, chocolate and salt
• Men should wear briefs prior to intercourse
• Try the rear-entry position during intercourse
• Have sex at night

If you want a girl...
• Both partners should eat lots of fish and vegetables
• Give in to your chocolate cravings, or just sweets in  
   general
• Indulge in afternoon delights
• Eat foods rich in calcium and magnesium, such as 
   milk, cheese, nuts, beans and cereals
• Women should reach orgasm before their partners

Note: Scientific evidence has also shown that wishing and praying can increase your odds of conceiving a baby with the gender of your choice.

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Article extracted from Panpac Lifestyle Magazines from 2000 to 2003.