Signs You Might Be Having a Girl

It's a Girl

 

If you’re like most parents-to-be, you just can’t wait for that 20-week ultrasound that will let you know, with almost certain accuracy, whether you’re having a boy or a girl. And, while Chinese gender prediction calendars and wedding ring tests might be fun to look at, there is, of course, no science behind them.

That doesn’t leave us with much, of course. There are a few factors that seem to be related to whether you’re having a girl that you can consider, however. Let’s take a look at some statistical reasons that suggest you might be more likely to conceive a girl:

  • You’re both 40 years old or over. Older couples are more likely to have a girl than a boy, by about a margin of 52% to 48%. It’s thought that this is because of changing hormones, and of the nature of female sperm and its ability to make the journey to fertilize an egg, which can be more difficult as we age.

  • You have severe morning sickness. This one sounds like an old wives’ tale, and to be sure the theory didn’t start in science. However, a review of several studies on hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness) showed that 55% of women who suffered from the condition had girls, while the rest had boys. This may be related to high levels of estrogen, which is thought to influence morning sickness.

  • You’re from a tropical climate and conceive your baby there. One study looked at birth data from around the world and showed that a greater percentage of girls are born in the region around the earth’s equator than anywhere else. Researchers aren’t sure, but this could be related to levels of melatonin or the temperature of the region altering the survival quality of male or female sperm.

  • The male partner’s job includes high stress. Several studies have looked at high stress jobs, including deep sea divers, professional drivers, submarine technicians and pilots and discovered that more girls are born to men who work in these professions.

Of course, the best way to know whether you’re having a girl is that faithful ultrasound. In the meantime, you can use some of these factors to try to make an educated baby gender prediction.