Parents Want to Know 101: What Are We Having: A Boy or a Girl?

Thursday, February 28, 2019

What Are We Having: A Boy or a Girl?

By Sharon Rose

Expectant mothers, fathers, and the whole family, want to know, is it a boy or a girl? Curiosity and excitement always surrounds the gender of the baby! Your baby’s gender is set as soon as the sperm meets the egg. It is, precisely, at conception, when a baby gets 23 chromosomes from each parent. Some parents have their heart set on a boy, others, a girl. In some cases a couple may differ on whether they want to know, or not, before the baby is born.

Medical science has tests that allows you to know, before the birth, what the gender of the baby is. When parents know ahead of time they can prepare mentally, better select baby items, and get the nursery ready for their new bundle of joy. Knowing in advance, allows time for any disappointment over the gender of the baby to have disappeared by the birth.

When can you find out if the baby is a boy or girl? For parents who want to know, during your mid-pregnancy ultrasound, which is most often done between 18 and 22 weeks, the technician can usually get a clear view of the baby’s genitals. The ultrasound can also be used to determine the health, age, and position of the baby. It is also possible to find out the gender of the baby from a genetic test like chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis. However, the purpose of tests such as these is to determine whether a baby has a genetic disorder or a chromosomal abnormality, like Down syndrome. According to the 2017 statistics on births done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the percentage of women having babies in their 40’s has risen, sharply. We find women, in this high risk group for birth defects, opting to take these tests. CVS is usually done between 10 and 13 weeks, and amniocentesis between 16 and 20 weeks. If they want to, they can find out the gender of the baby at this time. Women who are not at increased risk of genetic and chromosomal problems don't usually take CVS or amniocentesis, partly, because these tests are invasive and carry a small risk of miscarriage. The ultrasound is usually the choice, for most women, who want to find out the gender of their baby.

Throughout history, predicting the baby’s gender has been what expectant parents had fun with. Some even basing their predictions on myths and old wives’ tales, like boy babies are carried high and girl babies are carried low. I, for one, experienced just the opposite. There was a time when preparing boys and girls for their future was so different. That is not so today. In the past, boys and girls were not reared with the same kind of future or career in mind. Boys and girls did not participate in the same activities, and girls were not expected to break the glass ceiling. Just today, I read the amazing news of 21 year old Los Angeles native, Antoinette “Toni” Harris, the first woman in history who will attend college on a full football scholarship, to play at a skill position. Harris has signed a letter of intent to play for Central Methodist University in Missouri. Harris says, her ultimate goal is play for the NFL. I’m sure Harris’ parents never imaged when their baby girl was born that she would become a football player. Although, some struggles for gender equality still remain in our society and around the world, young ladies like Toni Harris are showing the world that the equality gap between men and women is closing.

The birth of a baby is a miracle and a blessing to behold! Whether your baby is a boy or a girl, give them a variety of educational and learning opportunities that are not based on what gender they are. For parents, the excitement and joy of having a baby, and watching them grow, can last a lifetime!