Determine the sex of the future baby: methods and calendar

How to know the sex of your future child?

This question is one of the most popular among future parents. It is possible to determine the sex of the baby using an ultrasound or a laboratory analysis of the pregnant woman's blood - non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT).

At what term can I know the sex of my baby?

The NIPT can be performed as early as the 9th week of pregnancy. This test mainly aims to detect genetic anomalies and fetal abnormalities. However, it is also used to determine the sex of the baby, especially in cases of risk for sex-linked genetic diseases. The future mother may be directed to the NIPT to rule out Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, Patau syndrome, and other chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.

How to determine the sex of the future baby using ultrasound?

You can predict the sex of the baby using ultrasound, starting from the 11th week of pregnancy. During this period, the sonographer visualizes the sex bump of the fetus and, based on its appearance, draws a preliminary conclusion.

The later the ultrasound, the more accurate the doctor's prediction. With greater probability, the sex of the child can be determined at the 16th week of pregnancy. In boys, the testicles have already descended into the scrotum by the 30th week, making the determination of sex more reliable.

Scheduled ultrasounds during pregnancy

During pregnancy, three routine ultrasounds are performed:

• First ultrasound (10-11 weeks) - allows for a first prediction of the baby's sex, but the accuracy remains low.
• Second ultrasound (19-21 weeks) - the baby's sex can be determined with greater probability, but the baby's position in the uterus may make visualization difficult.
• Third ultrasound (32-34 weeks) - it allows for the confirmation of the baby's sex with the highest accuracy.

The answer to the question "When can we know the exact sex of the baby?" is therefore specific to each pregnancy and depends on many factors.

Determining sex in the context of IVF

Pregnancy after in vitro fertilization (IVF) has its own particularities. The baby's sex can be determined by ultrasound or by NIPT, but the accuracy of the method may vary depending on the development of the embryo. In the case of an IVF with egg donation or IVF with double donation (eggs and sperm from a donor), it is also possible to determine the sex earlier, but the final result is confirmed later in the pregnancy.

Where to have an ultrasound during pregnancy?

The control ultrasound during pregnancy can be performed at the "Natuvitro" clinic. Obstetricians and gynecologists perform 3D and 4D ultrasounds on advanced equipment. In addition to a professional opinion, patients receive a video recording of the ultrasound diagnosis, allowing them to save important moments of the baby's wait.

Thus, modern medical technologies allow parents to know the sex of the baby from the early stages of pregnancy through safe and accurate diagnostic methods.