Not many people are aware, but natural baby gender selection IS actually possible. It can almost guarantee the sex of a baby. Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is considered the gold standard for sex selection.
It involves in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), the removal of one cell from embryos. And, the analysis of the chromosomes and DNA three days after fertilisation. Embryos of the desired sex can then be chosen.
How can I get PGD?
Unfortunately, (or should I say fortunately), in Singapore hospitals perform PGD only for medical reasons. So if there were to be a genetic disease which runs in boys, couples would be allowed to have PGD to implant only female embryos.
So what can you do if you are longing for a girl or hankering for a son, but are not eligible for PGD? Well you have two options:
You can fly to the US or Russia, where mainstream PGD is legal, (but be prepared to fork out loads of dough!). Or, you can try some of the natural gender selection techniques. Although it must be noted that none of these methods are scientifically proven.
Natural baby gender selection via sperm sorting
Before we go into the details, it is important to understand the basis of gender selection. Sperms carry two types of chromosomes, X and Y. Sperms with the Y chromosome which result in male offspring, are tiny and fragile, but they swim quickly.
Sperms with the X chromosome which result in female offspring, are larger and hardier, but move more slowly. Therefore, the male sperms would race to meet the egg much faster than the female sperm, but they have a shorter lifespan and cannot survive in an acidic vaginal environment.
Shettles Method for male offspring
Based on the above theory, for natural baby gender selection, experts recommend that couples have intercourse within 24 hours before the woman ovulates if they want a bundle of blue. Why? Because Y sperms tend to swim to the egg first and fertilise it.
Penetration should also be as deep as possible (Read: Doggy Style). This will ensure the deposit of the Y sperm near the cervix, which is more alkaline and thus more favourable for them to survive.
In addition, couples should abstain from sex for about 3-4 days. This can maximise the production of Y sperms. (Boys do note, that abstaining from sex, also means not playing with your magic wand!)
It’s also best that women have an orgasm before penetration, in order to maintain an alkaline environment. In addition, women are advised to douche with water and baking soda, as it’s believed to boost alkalinity.
Shettles Method for female offspring
If couples have intercourse 3 days or more before ovulation, their chances of conceiving a girl is better. That’s because the weaker Y sperms tend to die sooner. And, the X sperms will be in greater quantity when the egg releases.
Shallow penetration (Read: Missionary) will ensure that the X sperm is deposited at the mouth of the cervix, which is more acidic, favouring their survival.
Women should also avoid reaching an orgasm as this keeps the vaginal environment highly acidic. When a woman has an orgasm, the body releases a kind of substance. This makes the environment more alkaline, and hence, more ideal for the Y sperm to survive.
Women should also douche with water and vinegar immediately before intercourse to favour a girl.
Calories really count in natural baby gender selection
A recent study by the University of Exter, Britain, found that a hearty breakfast laced with sugar boosted women’s chances of conceiving a son. The Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Britain’s de facto academy of sciences published this study.
Likewise, a low-energy diet that skimps on calories, minerals and nutrients is more likely to yield a female.
Besides racking up a higher calorie count, the study found that women who produced more males were also more likely to have eaten a wider range of nutrients, including potassium, calcium and vitamins C, E and B12.
The odds of an XY, or male outcome to a pregnancy are also more significant. Especially, “for women who consumed at least one bowl of breakfast cereal daily compared with those who ate less than or equal to one bowl of week,” the study reported.
The mechanism is not yet understood. But the in-vitro fertilisation research reveals something interesting. Higher levels of glucose, or sugar, encourages the growth and development of male embryos while inhibiting female embryos.
If nothing else, this at least may explain why we’re deemed as the “weaker” sex!
Have your say: What do you think of natural gender selection?
Editor’s note: By running this article, in no way is theAsianparent.com condoning sex selection. The very idea of gender choosing sort of gives us the willies. We can’t help but conjure up creepy images of Francis Galton–inspired über-babies. Or, think of the missing girls phenomena in India or China.
That said, we do recognise that we live in a democracy. And people should be able to make their own decisions, certainly in a democracy.
Also read: Boy or girl? Do you really want to know?
