Gender Selection

Is it possible to choose if you will conceive a girl or boy using gender selection methods?

While there are many old wives' tales and myths that are completely untrue related to gender selection, there are some tips and methods that may actually work for increasing a woman's odds of conceiving a boy or girl. Natural gender selection methods such as the woman having or not having an orgasm and shallow or deep penetration during intercourse may both influence if a baby boy or baby girl is conceived. According to Ashley Spencer, author of "How to Choose the Gender of Your Baby" there are free natural gender selection methods that are guaranteed to work if couples use them correctly. While some women, couples, and the medical community disagree about the effectiveness of free natural gender selection methods, others are without a doubt convinced that the methods and techniques such as found in Ashley's book do work and expensive medical procedures are not necessary to conceive a girl or boy of choice. Numerous written and video testimonials from women who have used free natural methods can be found on Ashley's website where she promotes her book to women who want to increase their chances of conceiving a girl or boy the natural way.

So what are the myths related to gender selection? Here are some of the most common tales that do not have any scientific evidence or support.

Trying to conceive a baby in the afternoon is more likely to result in a girl, at night will give you a boy.
Trying on the even numbered days of the month will produce a girl, the odd days a boy. 
A girl is more likely if you are trying during a full moon, a boy with a quarter moon. 
If the man drinks a caffeine containing beverage right before intercourse, a boy is more likely because this will make the Y (boy) sperm more active.
Eating lots of fish and vegetables followed by a chocolate dessert for a girl, red meat, pretzels and chips for a boy. 
Sex while standing up will give you a boy. 
Sex initiated by the woman increases you chances of having a girl.  
X (girl) sperm can tolerate warmer temperatures, so if you are looking conceive a female, the man should take a hot bath just before intercourse.
Having intercourse with your heads pointing north or having the would-be mother sleep on the left will result in a boy.
Using Chinese gender selection methods such as a Chinese gender calendar for gender prediction.

What free gender selection methods do work for influencing the sex of your baby?  Here are some natural gender selection tips that actually have some scientific truths behind them.

Timing of Intercourse. The Shettles gender selection method and Whelan method both use these concepts but with slightly different variations from each other.  The idea is based on the fact that X (girl) sperm are larger and slower and Y (boy) sperm are faster but more fragile.  Sex a few days before ovulation favors the larger but slower X sperm, sex at the time of ovulation favors the faster Y sperm.  These methods require careful counting and watching the calendar or ovulation testing to determine exactly when ovulation is occurring. 

Sexual Position. If you are trying to conceive a girl, shallow penetration (missionary position) is best.  The sperm will be deposited in the more acidic area of the vagina, which will work against the weaker boy sperm and leave more girl sperm available the fertilize the egg.  If you are trying to conceive a boy, the opposite is true.  Deep penetration (rear entry) is best to deposit the sperm in the more alkaline area of the vagina closer to the cervix so that the faster boy sperm will have a head start in a safer environment to get the egg. 

Orgasms. If you are trying for a girl, a woman should not orgasm during sex since this makes the vaginal environment more alkaline. The opposite is true if you are trying for a boy, since this creates a favorable environment for Y sperm and the contractions also help more the sperm up into the cervix quicker. 

In vitro fertilization is a high tech method associated with a high gender selection cost. Scientifically, this method works but it is expensive.  If you are desperate enough and money is not an object, $20,000 or more can guarantee you the boy or girl you desire.  In vitro fertilization is a process where a live embryo is produced in a laboratory by harvesting eggs from the mother and sperm from the father.  The embryo can then have its DNA tested before it is implanted to find out if is a boy (XY) or girl (XX). Other than the disadvantage of the large price tag, this method is often considered immoral and unethical when used for determining gender. This method alone turns many couples against gender selection and raises questions concerning gender selection ethics.

There are a variety of gender selection clinics that use many scientific methods including preimplantation genetic diagnosis pgd and microsort for gender determination.

There is another category of gender selection techniques that includes myths that actually hold some truth. 

The mother's food choices before conception.  While it was generally thought that food choices before conception was a completely unscientific way of gender selection, recent research has actually shown that there may be some evidence that a gender selection diet proves otherwise. One popular theory suggests that eating to change the pH balance in your body contributes to the sex of your baby. If you switch your diet to more acidic foods such as oranges and grapefruits and a diet that is high in calcium and magnesium (milk and nuts), you are more likely to conceive a girl because the acidic environment kills the boy sperm. Junk foods and an unhealthy diet can also have this same effect of acidifying your body. For a boy, this theory suggests a less acidic (more alkaline) diet is best which includes salty foods, red meats, eggs, beans, peas, raisins, bread, and corn as well as a diet that is high in potassium (bananas).

So what parts of this gender selection theory actually have scientific evidence?  Recent research has found that women who have a preconception diet that is higher overall in nutrition results in more boys.  Women who eat a wider variety of foods and regularly,  breakfast cereal (high in vitamins), and bananas (high in potassium) are more likely to have boys. Women who do not have as healthy of a diet before conception are more likely to have girls.  Also, no link has been found to a diet high in calcium and magnesium and conceiving girls. (Note: it is not recommended to avoid healthy eating in hopes of conceiving a girl). So there is some truth to this theory, in terms of the food choices for a boy versus a girl, but the acidic/alkaline concept proof is not there.

The mother's caloric intake prior to conception. Recent studies suggest that women who have a high intake of food throughout the day, causing glucose levels to remain steady, are more likely to conceive a boy.