Boy or girl?: Result
Boy or girl? It's the question everyone wants to know the answer to. We've looked at the science of what influences a baby’s sex. We've rounded up the most useful and used them to create our gender predictor.
While this tool is based on the available science, many of the studies are small scale and show only slight changes in the likelihood of having a boy or girl. Some studies carry more weight than others, so your result may say one sex even though more of your answers point to the other. Finally, whatever result you get, treat it with caution. Don’t start painting the nursery blue or pink just yet!
While this tool is based on the available science, many of the studies are small scale and show only slight changes in the likelihood of having a boy or girl. Some studies carry more weight than others, so your result may say one sex even though more of your answers point to the other. Finally, whatever result you get, treat it with caution. Don’t start painting the nursery blue or pink just yet!
![](/web/20220517205654im_/https://www.babycenter.ca/ims/2013/07/genderpredictor_itsaboy.png)
It may be a boy!
Based on your answers, the research suggests that you are slightly more likely to have a boy!![](/web/20220517205654im_/https://www.babycenter.ca/ims/2013/07/genderpredictor_dontknow.png)
It's too close to say!
Based on your answers, the research gives you equal chances of having a boy or a girl.![](/web/20220517205654im_/https://www.babycenter.ca/ims/2013/07/genderpredictor_itsagirl.png)
It may be a girl!
Based on your answers, the research suggests that you are slightly more likely to have a girl!Your answers
Are you over 35?
Yes
This answer suggests it could be a girl
No
This answer suggests it could be either a boy or a girl
There is some evidence that the older you are when you conceive your
baby, the more likely you are to have a girl. This could be due to
hormonal influences as you age.
Were you living with the father of your baby when you conceived?
Yes
This answer suggests it could be a boy
No
This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
One very large study of 86,000 people shows a figure of 51.5 per cent male births for those living with a spouse or partner before the child's conception or birth, and 49.9 per cent male births reported by respondents who were not.
If you are married, how long had you been married when you conceived?
Less than a year
This answer suggests it could be a boy
More than a year
This answer suggests it could be a girl
I'm not married
This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
The theory is that the longer you are married, the less sex you have. Infrequent sex means that you are less likely to conceive close to when you ovulate. Male sperm move faster but don't live as long as female sperm. So by having infrequent sex, you are less likely to have sex close to the time you ovulate. That means that a longer-lasting female sperm is more likely to win the race.
Is the father of your baby over 40?
Yes
This answer suggests it could be a girl
No
This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
It seems that the older a dad is the less likely the male sperm are to fertilize the egg and the female sperm win the race. The latest evidence is that the quality of sperm does deteriorate with age and older men produce fewer male sperm.
How many children do you already have?
None
This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
One
This answer suggests it could be a boy or a girl
Two or more
This answer suggests it could be a girl
The research here shows that the more children you have, the more likely you are to have a girl. This may be linked to the fact that the more pregnancies you have, the higher your levels of the hormone gonadotrophin. This seems to be linked to a higher chance of having a girl.
Were you eating a high or low calorie diet when you became pregnant?
High
This answer suggests it could be a boy
Medium
This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
Low
This answer suggests it could be a girl
A study divided 740 British women into groups according to their calorie intake. 56 per cent of the women who had the highest energy intake had boys. 45 per cent of the women who had the lowest energy intake had boys. The average calorie intake for women who had boys was 2,413. The average calorie intake for women who had girls was 2,283. It has been suggested that our bodies only invest in boys (who are more fragile and statistically less likely to survive) when food is abundant. In times of famine or low food production we "play safe" with more robust girls. Remember, whether you're having a boy or a girl, a healthy diet is very important before and during pregnancy.
Does the father of your baby work in any of these occupations: airline pilot, deep sea diver, submariner, timber mill worker, flour mill worker?
Yes
This answer suggests it could be a girl
No
This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
Some studies have looked at the father's occupation and the ratio of boys and girls. Occupations that involve stress or pollutants seem to lead to more girls. But these are small-scale studies that have only looked at certain occupations.
Were you under stress before you became pregnant?
Yes
This answer suggests it could be a boy
No
This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
We know more boys are born at times of stress, such as after wars, and research carried out so far seems to confirm this. One theory is that the mother's high stress levels lead to increases in both testosterone and cortisol. This may lead to changes in the egg, which makes it easier for male sperm to penetrate. Just how this happens no one is sure, but there is much mystery still about the moment of conception.
Which season did you conceive in?
Spring
This answer suggests it could be a boy or girl
Summer
This answer suggests it could be a boy
Fall
This answer suggests it could be a boy or girl
Winter
This answer suggests it could be a girl
Farmers have noticed this effect in animals for many years. A study of 63,976 births in the area of Essen, West Germany, from 1965 to 1970 showed that more boys were conceived in early summer, and more girls in winter. In spring and fall the figures were the same. This may be related to a better diet in summer, or could be because more viral and infectious diseases are around in the winter. Male sperm and embryos are acknowledged to be more fragile and it may be that they are more affected by mothers catching infections.
Did you conceive after having your ovulation induced hormonally?
Yes
This answer suggests it could be a girl
No
This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
Studies carried out among women who used hormones, such as Clomid, to induce ovulation show that you are slightly more likely to have a girl if artificial hormones are involved.
In your pregnancy, have you suffered from severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum)?
No
This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
Yes, I had no treatment or was treated at home
This answer suggests either a boy or a girl
Yes, I was admitted to hospital for treatment
This answer suggests it could be a girl
Some experts think that the link between severe pregnancy sickness and female babies is due to high levels of estrogen.
Were you born in a tropical climate and living in a tropical climate when you conceived? (Only answer yes if the answer is yes to both parts.)
Yes
This answer suggests it could be a girl
No
This answer suggests it could be either a boy or a girl
A global survey of birth data showed that more girls are born in the tropics than anywhere else in the world. Scientists are not sure why. One possible theory is that it is the effect of the hormone melatonin, which has been shown to cause changes in the reproductive systems of animals in response to the length of the day. More females are born when the days are longer. Or it could be that high temperature alters the survival of male or female sperm in semen.
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