Boy or Girl?
by Yana Mikheeva
Why in some families boys are born, in other families � girls, and in another ones � both boys and girls? Can we influence a future baby�s sex? People have been interested in these questions since antiquity. Our great-grandmothers believed that if one puts some sugar on a window-sill while full moon, then a girl will be born, if one puts some salt � then a boy will be born.
In Ancient China there was a legend: if a woman is lying head-on to the North during a process of conception, then a boy will be conceived; if she�s lying head-on to the South � a girl will be conceived. And in medieval Europe there was rather a bigoted tradition: a man, dreaming to have a son, put a battle-axe under a pillow and at the moment of climax he would take it out with the words: �You must have a boy�. And the one who wanted a daughter put on a hat on his wife�s head and whispered tender words to her� Many theories convince us that a future baby�s sex depends on weather.
For example, an ancient Greek doctor Empedocle considered that a chance to conceive a boy was bigger when the weather was hot, and a girl should be conceived when the weather is cold. In Germany there was a legend saying that if you make love while rainy weather, a girl will be born, and while dry weather � a boy will be born.
Different theories about the ways to conceive a baby of a certain sex continue appearing till now, and quite often they are no less quaint, than during our ancestors� times. This does not prevent young mothers from experimenting with diets and intricate calculations�
Six theories with following disclosures
Theory № 1. Do you want a boy? 2-3 months before conception, start eating more foodstuff, containing salt and potassium (meat, sausage, fish, bread, potato) and less foodstuff, rich in calcium and magnesium (milk and dairy produce, lettuce, spinach). If you want to conceive a girl, do everything back to front.
This theory was confirmed after a series of experiments on animals, but there�re no evidences, as for people. However, in the early eighties, a group of French researchers announced that 78% of women, wishing to give birth to sons, succeeded to do this, due to such diet. If you want, you can try your luck, following one of the diets, quoted here.
However, a number of participants of this experiment was too small � only 45 people, moreover, there were no control groups. Scientists warn: surplus of salt is unhealthy for women suffering from high blood pressure. And is it reasonable � to lower calcium and magnesium consumption during a period of pregnancy, when one�s necessity in these substances increases?
Theory № 2. Coitus in the day of ovulation increases a chance to conceive a boy, 2 days before ovulation � a girl. The author of this theory, a demographer Otfrid Hatzold, proves his arguments with the fact that spermatozoa with X- chromosomes, responsible for female sex, are less active, but hardier, than spermatozoa with male Y- chromosomes. In the day of ovulation, a chance that some of more active male spermatozoa will meet an ovule being first, is bigger.
IN FACT, a recent research, carried out in USA, showed that a majority of children, regardless of sex, turns to be conceived in the day of ovulation.
Theory № 3. Energetic and decisive women give birth to boys more often, a New Zealand researcher Valerie Grant affirms. The matter is, that there�s more male hormone testosterone in a woman-leader�s organism. It supposedly influences an ovule�s membrane and spermatozoa with male Y- chromosomes become prevalent. Thus, it becomes clear, why more boys are born after wars and epidemics: women go through stresses and show male features of character, and a level of male hormones in their blood rises.
ALAS, this theory cannot explain why a majority of women give birth both to boys and girls.
Theory № 4. If a woman wants to give birth to a girl, she should not experience orgasm, as at this moment an alkali is being thrown out of her organism. This alkali favors to movement of spermatozoa with male Y- chromosomes. Adherents of this theory assure that such information can even be found in Talmud, which says: if a husband finishes a coition first, a boy will be born.
IN FACT, there�s no any scientific confirmation to this theory.
Theory № 5. An American physician Eugene Jonas affirms very seriously, that a baby�s sex depends on a zodiac constellation ruling in the sky at the moment of conception. There�re female and male zodiacs � and everything depends on them.
HOWEVER, doctors will just smile, while hearing such affirmation.
Theory № 6. If a woman�s age is equal to an even number � for example, 26 years, - she can conceive a girl in even months of a year (February, April, June, August, October); if a woman�s age is equal to odd number � in odd months (January, March, May, July, September, November). This dependence is inverse for boys conception.
OF COURSE, there�s no any scientific confirmation of this theory.
A magic test-tube
Nevertheless, there�s a real possibility to choose a future baby�s sex. Indeed, one will have to resort to an insemination "in vitro" � in a test-tube.
How a sex is formed?
An ovule always has X-chromosome: this is a female chromosome, which is situated in a female organism�s cells in the form of XX. Spermatozoa cells can contain either X, or Y-chromosome (in male organism they have the form of XY). If X-chromosome of a spermatozoon�s cell joins an ovule, then there will be XX, i.e. a girl; if there will be an encounter with Y-chromosome, then XY boy will take place.
Experts will separate spermatozoa with X and Y-chromosomes from each other, mark them, select an appropriate one and combine with an ovule, taken from a woman beforehand. Some time later, an embryo is implanted into uterus. This method is used, when there�s a threat of serious heritable diseases, connected with certain sex. For example, haemophilia is passed only through male line, so, insemination in a test-tube allows to programme a healthy girl�s birth.
In some clinics, quite healthy couples, dreaming of a baby of a certain sex, can use this method, - of course, for considerable money. Indeed, doctors cannot guarantee a success even here, and they take a signed statement from couple, saying that they won�t have an abortion, even in case of failure. And here goes a very important moment:
Well, if your wish still did not come true?
How do we behave, if our wishes and reality don�t match? At best, we accept the inevitable cap in hand, and even find positive sides in it. For example, you were eager to have a boy, and gave birth to a girl: great, you will have someone to tie bows to, and you will have someone to help you, and girls are easier to bring up.
If we still keep on persevering in our wish, instead of resignation and acceptation of the fact that cannot be changed, consequences can be fatal. Remember a story of Oscar Wild. A famous writer�s mother was dreaming about a girl, and, when a boy was born, she started dressing him in little frocks and treating him like a daughter. Probably, this served as a reason of his future homosexual orientation.
An American psychiatrist Thomas Werni affirms in his book �A spiritual life of new-born babies�, that favourable conditions for healthy development of personality can be created only when a mother accepts her pregnancy positively, and a child of a wishful sex is born. An ultrasonic test allows determining a fetus�s sex on 24th week of pregnancy already. Doctors, who execute ultrasonic tests, often see parents� disappointment, if their wishes don�t come true. And here�s a point that represents a danger, as psychologists consider. If a child feels outcast in a belly, this may influence his whole life negatively, cause defects of behavior and even a wish to change sex.
It turns out, that the wisest women are those, who answer the question: �Who do you want � a boy or a girl?� � simply: �Whom God will bless with�. As if there�re no any theories and �true� methods to set a necessary trajectory for chromosomes.
A diet that contributes to a boy conception
Meat � all sorts, cooked meats.
Fish � all sorts.
Bread and cereals � pastry, biscuit, semolina, rice.
Vegetables � potato, white kidney beans, lentil, peas.
Fruits � various, especially bananas, apricots, oranges, peaches, dates, cherries.
Dried fruits � prunes, dried apricots, dates.
And also: canned goods, yeast, salt � without restrictions.
Drinks � tea, coffee, fruit juices, mineral water, some beer and wine.
Not recommended: dairy produce, mineral water containing calcium, shrimps, crabs, caviar.
You need to restrict taking confectionery containing eggs, milk, lettuce, leguminous haricot, raw cabbage, watercress, dill, walnuts, filbert, almonds, peanuts, cocoa, milk chocolate.
A diet that contributes to a girl conception
Meat � all sorts little by little. Sausage, ham and smoked food are not recommended.
Fish � fresh and fast-frozen. Crawfish, shrimps are not recommended.
Eggs.
Cereals � all.
Bread and batch � without salt and yeast.
Vegetables � egg-plants, beet, carrot, cucumbers, asparagus, watercress, beans, green peas, tomatoes.
Potato � limited quantity.
Fruits � all, except plums, apricots, bananas, oranges, currant, cherry.
Nuts � almond, filbert, filbert 9not salted).
Drinks � tea, coffee, chocolate, cacao, mineral water containing calcium.
Soda drinks and canned juices are not recommended.
Undesirable: cheese, ice-cream, corn, any canned goods, spicy sauces, fried potato, raw tomatoes, lentil, olives, margarine. Salt should be restricted, avoid taking yeast and soda.
Yana Mikheeva is the creator of Baby Health Directory - Pregnancy, Birth, Parenting and Baby Care resources. Are you going to get pregnant? Visit our friendly resource and read information on pregnancy and parenting, painless childbirth, growth and development of a baby, baby health, safety, signs of pregnancy.
She also has All about women site where you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others.
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