What to do to be born a boy, and what to do to be born a girl

“Unfortunately, there is currently no reliable wayaffect the sex of the unborn child, ”says Angela Chaudhari, gynecological surgeon and assistant professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University of Chicago (Illinois). “If I ever find out a way, I’ll definitely tell it to those who already have two boys.”Photo: Getty images

Hurry up - will you give birth to a girl?

While scientists are struggling to find a guaranteed solutionmethod of conceiving a baby of one gender or another, there is a popular saying that you need to have sex three days before ovulation. If you want a boy, only on the day of ovulation. Let's try to figure out how it works. A man and a woman pass on two different sets of chromosomes to the embryo. Women carry XX chromosomes, men - XY. Accordingly, all eggs will have only X, and sperm can be a carrier of both X and Y chromosomes. Therefore, the sex of the child depends solely on the man. When the hour X comes, sperm begin to compete for the right to fertilize the egg. "Sperm with a Y chromosome are very small and carry much less genetic material, so they are lighter and faster than their X counterparts," says Dr. Jani Jensen, a reproductive endocrinologist and assistant professor in Rochester, Minnesota. So the theory is that the fastest sperm that reach the egg during ovulation will all be Y-chromosome carriers. If they get into the body of the expectant mother earlier, they will have time to lose their energy and die before the egg matures. That's when the heavy and clumsy X-chromosome sperm will come in. That's the theory, but in practice, things are often different. And more importantly, you may not conceive at all. "It's more likely that couples will wait too long and simply miss ovulation, and with it, the opportunity to get pregnant," says Chaudhary. Bottom line: If you really want a boy and are in no rush to conceive, try your luck! For couples who agree to a child of either sex, here's some advice: Have sex every day before, during, and after ovulation to be on the safe side.Photo: Getty images

Eat meat - will there be a boy?

There is an opinion that if you eat a lot of fish, vegetables andsweets, you can conceive a girl. A boy will need red meat and salty snacks. An interesting theory, especially if these foods are part of a balanced diet. But there is not enough research on this topic to confirm this. However, a recent study in the UK showed that an abundance of cereals in the morning diet, plus a diet rich in potassium, vitamins B12, C and D, brings the birth of a boy closer. However, it is still not entirely clear whether the morning meal affects the gender or whether the number of calories consumed matters. (In the study, mothers of girls consumed on average 180 kilocalories and 300 milligrams of potassium less than women who gave birth to boys.)Photo: Getty images

Everyone will find a way

Despite the lack of credible theories,There are a lot of old wives' tales. For example, you need to drink a cup of coffee 20 minutes before intercourse, supposedly this will speed up carriers of the Y chromosome. Or the claim that the position matters: in the missionary position you will get a girl, and in deeper positions - a boy. None of these ideas, however, have been proven. Some methods can completely deprive you of hope of getting pregnant. Douching with water or vinegar is advertised as a way to conceive a girl, as it makes the vaginal environment acidic. However, experts say that this method can make the internal environment of the cervix hostile to sperm. So be careful with experiments.