Correctly guessing your baby’s sex is very difficult if you rely on the gender predicting myths and old wives’ tales. Instead you can choose to use one of the proven methods that accurately finds out the baby’s gender. During pregnancy a doctor may perform or request a medical test be given on the pregnant women that can precisely show the baby’s gender. While many doctors will not perform a medical test simply to figure out the baby’s gender, many medical tests are done for other important health related reasons while the baby’s gender can be determined at the same time.

[div class=”notice” class2=”typo-icon”]The ultrasound is the most common medical test that can determine a baby’s gender. Many parents are asked during the ultrasound if they would like to know the baby’s gender because reading the gender is relatively easy for a trained professional if the baby is in the right position. During an ultrasound the professional moves an electronic wand above the mother’s belly. The machine uses radio waves that create a detailed visual on the computer. The live video can show the body parts and organs including the sex organs which can reveal the baby’s gender. Most pregnant women get an ultrasound during the middle of the second trimester (16-18 weeks) to check on the baby’s growth and development. Usually at this time an ultrasound can be correct in predicting the sex of the baby about 90% of the time.[/div]

The Amniocentesis test is much more invasive than the ultrasound. During an Amniocentesis a needle is shot into the liquid that surrounds the baby in the womb, called the amniotic fluid. The lab performs test on this amniotic fluid which has fetal tissues for the prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal infections. These genetic issues often result in health problems and diseases for the baby. When this test is given the results can show the gender of the fetus accurately. The test has been shown to be dangerous as it has the unlikely, but possible situation of causing a miscarriage. For this reason, the Amniocentesis test is not used for most pregnant women and should never be used to simply figure out the gender of the fetus.

DNA blood test and urine screening can be used for prenatal sex discernment but are not widely available and are very costly.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) can accurately predict the baby’s gender but it is not intended to be used for that reason. The CVS testing involves an invasive procedure that removes sample cells from the membrane that is around the embryo. The reason the cells are sampled is when there is a likelihood of a genetic defect and further testing is necessary.