Finding Out the Gender of Your Baby

Boy or girl, boy or girl? You just cannot help wondering. You find yourself constantly pondering the gender of the new member of your family. You might even find you want to know the gender of your child in pregnancy.

If you have set your mind on discovering whether you will have a baby boy or baby girl, you could simply wait till your 18th week ultrasound. This ultrasound is just one of the many prenatal tests you will need to undergo that are aimed at making sure your baby is healthy and normal. Once you are at it you can easily ask the radiographer to tell you the sex of your baby. But then, 18 weeks is quite a long time and even then, it might not even be possible to accurately tell you whether you will have a baby girl or baby boy. Your baby might have got into an awkward position which might make it difficult to view your baby’s private parts. In any case, ultrasounds are around 70% accurate at determining the sex of your baby.

So perhaps you want an earlier test and a more accurate one? Then a DNA test is a good option to consider. You can choose from two main types of tests which are available today. Both tests are entirely risk free and both work by analyzing the baby DNA in a sample from the mother. The sample the mother can provide is either a blood sample or a urine sample. A blood sample can be collected by a finger prick. Generally, many people get all panicky and squeamish about pricking their fingers so you could ask your doctor to do it for you. You will be provided with a kit, the needle and all you need to collect your blood samples.

Urine DNA testing such as the one by homeDNAdirect it is much easier as it involves collecting a urine sample in exactly the same way as if you where collecting a urine sample for a diabetes test. The only difference is that in this case you will need to add a special solution to preserve the DNA in the wee sample (urine is very acidic and this could make the DNA alter very quickly without addition of the preserving solution).

What is the basic difference between the tests? Well, besides the method in which samples are collected, it is the accuracy which changes. A baby gender test with blood will be around 85% – 95% accurate whilst a DNA test with urine is 95% accurate.

Arguments in favor of finding out the sex & those couples who are against

Some couples do not want to find out the sex of their baby. You have every right to enjoy every second of anticipation and excitement until the birth. They feel that knowing early will just quash those lovely feelings of excitement. Those couples who are eager to know claim that gender testing can help take communication with your baby on a whole new level. They say that it helps give their baby a gender identity. It is not longer a special “it” but a “he” or “she” who might also have a name. They also provide motives for wanting to know based up practicality – the earlier they know, the easier and less stressful it is once the baby is born. They can decide on the name, get hold of the right clothes and get all the shopping out of the way to be able to dedicate all the time they have to their new family addition.