There are several reasons why hopeful parents wish to have a baby girl; for example, they may already have a son (and maybe two or three) or are afraid of passing on a genetic disease linked to sex chromosomes to their unborn child. Some couples have a personal preference regarding the gender of their child. The only safe methods for choosing the sex of the unborn child after fertilization are carried out only in laboratories and clinics under the supervision of a specialized medical staff. However, there are several folk remedies and pre-fertilization techniques that people find effective in affecting the sex of the unborn baby. While these are highly questionable techniques, they are worth a try. Remember, though, that the natural 50% chances of having a baby girl aren't that bad!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Making Food Changes to Try to Affect the Gender of the Baby
Step 1. Discuss any dietary changes with your gynecologist
This is a very controversial method of conditioning the sex of the unborn child. Many doctors and scientists doubt that it can have a decisive effect on the sex of the child and are convinced that it remains a completely random phenomenon. However, if your gynecologist believes that certain dietary changes aimed at increasing the chances of having a baby girl are safe, you are not at serious risk of following a special diet.
Step 2. Modify your diet to alter your body chemistry
It is believed that by changing what you eat, you can affect the chances of conceiving a baby by altering the mineral content and acidity of the uterine environment. According to this theory, the diet that a woman follows in the weeks preceding conception should be aimed at making her body more "welcoming" to the sperm carrying the X chromosome (which allows for a baby girl) and less "friendly" to the sperm. with Y chromosome (leading to the development of a child).
Step 3. Eat lots of foods rich in calcium and magnesium
The foods recommended for conceiving a baby are low-sodium dairy products, eggs, rice, as well as low-sodium bread and crackers. Fruits and vegetables also increase the chances of conceiving a girl.
Step 4. Avoid foods rich in potassium and sodium
A recent study showed that women who ate potassium-rich grains were more likely to have sons. Other foods with a high potassium content include bananas, salmon, mushrooms, legumes, tuna, sweet potatoes and regular ones.
Method 2 of 3: Calculate Conception Times to Influence the Gender of the Unborn Child
Step 1. Keep track of your menstrual cycle
You can calculate the time of ovulation in many different ways. The most accurate is to use an ovulation test. If you have a regular menstrual cycle, you are able to predict the date of ovulation with a good safety margin by counting 12-16 days from the first day of menstruation. Remember, however, that this method is not 100% safe.
- By tracking ovulation, you can increase your chances of conceiving in general (regardless of the sex of the unborn baby), because women are typically most fertile in the few days leading up to ovulation.
- The other signs of ovulation are abdominal pain, change in vaginal discharge and change in basal temperature. Consider carefully monitoring your menstrual cycle with a calendar to better understand the body's response to ovulation.
Step 2. To conceive a baby girl, have sex 2-4 days before ovulation
According to this theory, spermatozoa with the Y chromosome are faster, but they resist for less time in the uterine environment. For this reason, having intercourse 2-4 days before the release of the egg increases the chances of having a baby, while sex close to the day of ovulation leads to a greater chance of having a boy. This technique is known as the "Shettles Method".
There is an alternative theory, called "Whelan's method", according to which to have a baby you have to have sex 2-3 days before ovulation and 4-6 days before if you want to have a boy
Method 3 of 3: Using Medical Procedures to Conceive a Girl
Step 1. Assess how much you can spend on a gender selection process
Although medical techniques are the safest ones for having a baby, they are very expensive. Prices vary a lot and you could spend several hundred euros, if not tens of thousands of euros. Procedures are not always legal in all countries and therefore you will also have to face travel costs. Determine a budget for this family project of yours.
Step 2. Thoroughly discuss all possible options with a gynecologist
Although the effects of these procedures are generally mild, they are relatively modern techniques that involve some risk. Talk to your trusted gynecologist to decide if you want to undergo this type of treatment.
Step 3. Follow sperm selection techniques in a clinic
It is possible to separate the spermatozoa carrying the X chromosome from those carrying the Y chromosome thanks to a procedure known as cytometric selection; afterwards, it is possible to fertilize the egg with the chosen spermatozoon through artificial insemination or in vitro. Since the X chromosomes are slightly larger than the Y chromosomes, the sperms that allow a girl to conceive are able to absorb more fluorescent dye than those that generate a boy. The spermatozoa are then separated and we proceed with the choice of the sex of the unborn child. Sperm selection is very effective, although not 100%. This is an expensive procedure and may not be available to all future parents.
Step 4. Learn about the "swim-up" method of artificial insemination
Many specialized clinics offer to select sperm based on its speed of movement. Since sperm carrying female genetic material tends to be heavier (and therefore moves slower), this type of selection can increase the odds of choosing a specific sex, although it is not guaranteed.
Step 5. Follow a Pre-implantation_Genetic_Diagnosis technique pre-implantation genetic diagnosis
This procedure is performed on embryos created in vitro; allows doctors to identify the sex of the embryos and then to make a selection before implantation. In addition to the recognition of sex (and therefore potentially its choice), this procedure allows to identify genetic diseases.
- Although very effective, it is an expensive and invasive technique, which raises many ethical questions regarding the correctness of the sexual selection of embryos. In some countries, in fact, sex screening is forbidden, while in others, such as in Great Britain, some exceptions are made if the determination of sex is useful for recognizing diseases linked to the X and Y chromosomes.
- Other doctors likewise support post-fertilization sex selection in cases where there are medical reasons, but reject sexual selection practices based on personal preference.
- This technique identifies the sex of the embryo while it is still in the laboratory and before it is implanted in the mother's womb. It is believed to have 100% accuracy.
Advice
- Unless you want to opt for post-fertilization sex selection, the chances of having a baby girl are always around 50%. You should "philosophically" take your child's sex and not crave a specific gender too intensely. Remember that the most important things are your child's health and happiness.
- If you are sad that you will not eventually have a baby, know that this "disappointment" is quite common and sometimes falls under the generic definition of postpartum depression. Just because it's so common, you don't have to feel guilty about this feeling. Instead, you should accept your feelings and discuss them with a close friend or doctor. Typically, this sense of sadness fades once a bond is built with the baby, regardless of gender. If you find that the disappointment persists, you should contact your pediatrician, gynecologist or psychologist.
- If it is critical to you that your child has a specific gender, you may want to consider alternative ways to have a baby girl. For example, you might consider adoption or fostering. In this way, not only will you have the opportunity to take care of a child, but you will welcome someone in need into your family.
Warnings
- Ask your doctor for advice before making drastic changes in your diet (including taking new vitamin and mineral supplements). In this way you guarantee your health, you make sure that there are no interactions with other medicines you are taking or contraindications for your pre-existing diseases.
- Many doctors do not believe that it is possible to influence the sex of the unborn child through diet, positions during sexual intercourse or by calculating the timing of ovulation. Despite this, some companies claim to have found the key to child sex selection. Be wary of any company that claims to be able to guarantee your child's sex through pre-conception services - these are expensive and often ineffective procedures.
- On the black market there are drugs for the selection of the sex of the unborn child that are not only useless, but can also cause serious harm to the fetus. Do not take any medicine or supplements without first talking to your gynecologist.
- Biological sex is not equivalent to gender identity or expression. Even if you do manage to have a baby girl, it is possible that your daughter will in the future reject her biological sex and identify more with the male gender. Similarly, a male infant may grow by identifying with the female gender. Always be of help and support for your child, regardless of their sex and gender.
- Some of the certain methods to guarantee the sex of the unborn child are also the most debated; in addition, they raise a number of ethical issues and issues. Carefully consider the implications of your offspring choices.
