Planning a child's sex by ovulation: how does it work?

It is known that the possibility of planningpregnancy has interested people since ancient times. At the same time, great importance was given to one of the most important factors - determining the sex of the future baby. This factor manifests itself directly at the moment of conception and depends on the sperm that fertilized the egg. When fertilized by a sperm with a Y chromosome, a boy will be born, and with an X chromosome - a girl. But centuries-old observations claim that there are methods that allow you to conceive and give birth to a child of the desired sex. It is believed that it was thanks to such methods that the long-awaited heirs of noble persons were born. Is this a myth or reality? Of course, not all of the known methods inspire confidence, but there are methods, the veracity of which is confirmed by many years of statistical data. One of them is planning the sex of the child by ovulation.

How it works?

The ability to explain the effectiveness of thisThe method appeared after scientists were able to conduct research on human spermatozoa. It turned out that not all spermatozoa are the same. Thus, “male” Y-spermatozoa differ significantly from “female” X-spermatozoa. They are smaller in size, move much more actively, but at the same time have low resistance to negative factors and a short lifespan. The method of determining the sex of a child by ovulation was developed in Poland by local doctors. It began to be widely used at the end of the 20th century and, when used, showed a fairly stable percentage of accuracy of 87%. This method is entirely based on the activity and longevity of spermatozoa. During sexual intercourse, at the time of ovulation or immediately after it, more active “male” spermatozoa reach the egg faster and, accordingly, have more opportunities for its fertilization. If sexual intercourse occurs long before ovulation, then the short-lived Y-spermatozoa die and the X-spermatozoa have a chance.

Features of the female body

The probability of conceiving a girl during sexual intercoursecontact a few days before ovulation is also explained by the characteristics of the female body. The lifespan of an egg can be from 1 to 2 days. While waiting for this moment, the sperm must spend some time in the woman's genital tract, where, depending on the onset of ovulation, the acidity of the environment changes. On the eve of the "birth" of the egg, the environment is more alkaline, which favors "male" sperm. A few days before this moment, the environment is highly acidic, which leads to the death of Y-spermatozoa. Only X-spermatozoa, resistant to unfavorable factors, remain, which reach the egg. Supporters of the method of determining the sex of a child by ovulation also admit the opinion that the egg itself "chooses" the desired sperm, passing it through its shell. According to this theory, planning the sex of the baby should occur as follows: if a woman wants to have a boy, she should have sexual intercourse before ovulation, but if she dreams of a girl, conception should occur immediately after it. It is impossible not to mention the statements of scientists who believe that fertilization of the egg after 24 hours of its life is undesirable. In their opinion, the egg is subject to the aging process, and a child of either sex conceived in such conditions may have congenital defects. The possibility of miscarriages or premature births is also not excluded.

Methods for measuring basal temperature

Whatever method is used, the main thing isthe condition for its reliability is an extremely accurate determination of the moment of ovulation. Even today, fulfilling this condition in practice seems quite difficult. There is only one way to independently determine the time of ovulation, which has some degree of probability. It is based on measuring basal temperature. Basal is the temperature measured in the rectum at rest. As a rule, temperature fluctuations in a healthy woman indicate an increase in progesterone secretion, which occurs before ovulation. In order to have reliable data, it is necessary to draw up a special chart where daily measurement readings are recorded. When measuring basal temperature, certain rules must be followed:

The temperature should be measured immediately after waking from 6 to 7 am for 2-3 weeks.

For the measurement, the thermometer is inserted into the rectal opening for a period of 5 to 10 minutes.

It is desirable to use an electronic mercury thermometer rather than an electronic one.

After carrying out several measurement cyclesyou can get a picture of the processes in the female body preceding ovulation. So, 2 weeks before this moment, the temperature will fluctuate from 36.3 to 36.8 degrees. A sharp jump in temperature to 37 degrees and above will indicate the release of the egg from the ovary - its "birth". Such an elevated temperature will last until menstruation, then it will return to normal. The absence of an increase in basal temperature or its unclear readings may indicate the absence of ovulation and, as a consequence, the presence of various diseases. It should be taken into account that the readings can be affected by various factors: sleep less than 5 hours, taking medications, sexual intercourse before measurement, colds and poor health. It is not recommended to measure basal temperature when traveling to hot countries and during a sharp change in climate. This will certainly affect the reliability of the readings. When planning the sex of the child using the ovulation onset method, all of the above factors should be taken into account. After all, a mistake of one day can lead to the exact opposite result, when instead of the long-awaited boy a girl is born, and vice versa. The onset of ovulation can be determined more accurately using ultrasound. But such a study must be carried out daily for at least 10 days, which is quite difficult. When the follicle reaches the desired size and is ready to leave the ovary, this will be displayed on the screen. When planning the birth of a baby, you can use not only the ovulation method, but also some others. In any case, the percentage of error probability is quite high. The main thing is to understand whether the gender of the baby is so important to you? Will the happiness of the birth of a little person be overshadowed by his gender? A boy or a girl - this is your own child, who, like no one else, will need care and love. And only you can make him happy.