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Trying to conceive and curious to know how to get pregnant with a boy?
Maybe you know one of those families that somehow ended up with children of all the same biological sex. You’re thinking there must be some small way you can impact whether your baby is a boy or a girl.
But the truth is that there is no way to guarantee or influence the chances of conceiving a boy. Generally speaking, the odds are nearly 50/50.
However, research exploring the sex ratio shows us that for about every 100 females born, between 101 and 107 males are born.
The science behind how a baby becomes one sex or the other is quite interesting. So keep reading to learn the basics of how a baby’s sex is determined.
Key Takeaways
- Current data shows that slightly more males than females are born. Researchers have not been able to pinpoint how or if human genetics play into the population sex ratios.
- Many theories have been proposed over the years about how to have a baby boy. Some of these theories include using certain sex positions and timing sex to be closer to ovulation (Shettles’ method). Some even claim that the foods you eat can impact your baby’s sex.
- None of these theories has been proven through current medical and scientific research.
- The only true way to have control over conceiving a baby boy is through highly advanced medical intervention. But many countries don’t allow certain interventions outside of medically necessary purposes.
- There’s no need to feel bad about wanting a baby boy or a baby girl. But there’s also really no way to impact this outcome. It’s best to focus instead on the overall health of you and your future child.
How Does a Fetus Develop Into a Boy or a Girl?
To better understand how you become pregnant with a boy versus a girl, let’s do a refresher on DNA and genetics.
Biologically speaking, males have an XY chromosome pairing and females have an XX chromosome pairing.
Male sperm and female eggs have a different genetic makeup. A single male sperm can carry either an X or a Y sex chromosome. Meanwhile, a female egg carries a single X sex chromosome.
So ultimately, the sperm will determine the baby’s sex:
- An egg that’s fertilized by another X chromosome will result in a baby girl.
- An egg that’s fertilized by a Y chromosome will result in a baby boy.
With all this in mind, perhaps you’re still contemplating: Is there any way at all to influence the chromosome pairings so you can have a boy vs. a girl?
Let’s look at the scientific evidence a little more closely.
Note: Sex vs. gender
Sex has to do with a human’s biological anatomy and genetics. Gender, on the other hand, has to do with a person’s identity and perception of themselves.
What Should I Do To Conceive a Baby Boy?
Maybe you’ve heard various theories about how to boost your chances of having a boy. Some of these may have even been spotlighted in certain blogs or outdated studies.
But an important reminder! Often a single study will claim a correlation exists that really may be based on poorly structured research parameters.
And then even if no other studies or research verify that claim, the unfounded claim spreads quickly and misconceptions form. This is why it’s so critical to closely examine the validity of research studies.
That said, let’s take a look at some of these “how to have a boy” theories (and why most of them aren’t true):
- Timing intercourse
- Sexual positions
- Dietary changes
- Other interventions
1. Timing of intercourse
Around 1960 a physician named Landrum Shettles published research that examined several methods that could lead to slightly higher chances of conceiving a boy.
Since that time, no other studies have been able to support or validate his findings. Meaning, the “Shettles method” is not a valid or reliable way to influence the sex of your baby.
But in case you’re curious, below are some of the key findings Shettle claimed would increase the odds of having a boy.
Shettles’ Claim: Having sex the day of ovulation through the 2 – 3 days after ovulation = higher chance of conceiving a boy.
According to Shettle, smaller Y chromosome-bearing sperm may have more motility (i.e. they’re better “swimmers”) in mid-cycle. This is when a woman’s cervical mucus is more abundant. So he posed that sexual intercourse closer to ovulation would lead to a predominance of male offspring.
Flaws in this claim: The major flaw in this theory is what we now know as the “fertile window.”
Sex aside, we know that the most likely times to even conceive at all are the four days leading up to ovulation, the day of, and the day after. This is because female eggs only survive about 12 – 24 hours after ovulation. (If you want to know exactly when you are ovulating to increase your chances of conceiving, you can use Inito).
Know more: When to Have Sex When You Are Trying to Get Pregnant?
Shettles’ claim: A more alkaline (less acidic) vagina can increase the odds of having a boy.
Shettle theorized that Y-sperm can survive longer in a more alkaline environment. And X-sperm are better off in a more acidic environment.
So he posed two ways to achieve a less acidic vagina in favor of a boy:
- The woman should orgasm first (because her secretions are more alkaline)
- The woman should douche prior to intercourse (to alter the vaginal pH so the Y-sperm can swim better)
Flaws in this claim: No scientific findings or research has shown that vaginal pH influences the resulting X or Y chromosome pairing.
On top of that, douching is actually harmful for a woman’s health. Studies show that douching is linked to many adverse health outcomes. These include HIV infections, bacterial vaginosis (BV), and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also lead to poor pregnancy outcomes like ectopic pregnancy, low birth weight, and preterm birth.
2. Sex positions
This misconception about sex positions likely stems from another one of Shettles’ claims.
Shettles’ claim: Deeper penetration allows sperm to be released closer to the cervix to help Y chromosome sperm travel more easily to the egg.
His reasoning was that Y sperm are more motile than X chromosome sperm. So the closer positioning to the cervix would lead to a higher chance of Y chromosome sperm getting there first. This theory about Y sperm motility has not been officially supported by other scientific or medical research.
Other studies have tried to examine differences in X vs. Y sperm motility and morphology. Researchers have looked at sperm in livestock, mice, and even humans. But most of the findings so far have been found to be unreliable. So more studies are needed to assess the true differences between X and Y sperm function.
3. Dietary changes
This 2008 study of 740 British women found that a baby’s sex was influenced by a maternal preconception diet.
The study found that mothers were more likely to have male offspring if they had a high nutrient intake before conceiving.
For example, in the women categorized in the top third of preconception energy intake, 56% had male infants. And of the women in the lowest third of nutrient intake, 45% had males.
They also claimed that consuming breakfast cereals was strongly associated with having a boy.
It would certainly be interesting if women could affect their offspring’s sex simply through the foods they ate. But more contemporary research has disproved these claims.
When it comes to eating though, the good news is that a healthy diet can help you with your overall fertility odds!
Know more: Diet and Fertility: Eat Your Way to Better Baby Odds
4. Medical interventions like IVF
Of all the claims for influencing your baby’s gender, this is the only medically valid one.
If you opt for in vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), you can essentially have control of the baby’s sex (to an extent).
When you undergo IVF, the egg is fertilized by the sperm in a lab-controlled environment. From there, the resulting embryo(s) can undergo PGD testing to rule out any genetic diseases. During this process, it is possible to also identify the sex of the embryo before the embryo transfer.
That said, there’s a lot of controversy around using gender selection and sex identification outside of non-medical reasons. In many countries, this practice is banned. And the process of undergoing IVF and preimplantation genetic diagnoses can be very expensive.
What Makes It More Likely To Be a Boy?
As mentioned, there’s a slightly higher occurrence of male babies. Researchers dating back to Darwin in the late 1800s have been perplexed over sex ratios. This goes for male-female ratios within individual families as well as within populations. Yet, no one has been able to find scientific proof of how human genetics factor into an offspring’s sex.
Perhaps one day scientists will have a better understanding of how genetics plays into an embryo’s sex.
So what’s the bottom line when it comes to trying to conceive a boy?
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a boy versus a girl. It’s in our human nature to have preferences about all sorts of things!
Maybe you already have two girls and want a chance at being a boy parent too. Or maybe you want to name your future boy after your grandfather. Whatever the reason, there’s no need to feel bad about preferring to have a male baby over a female baby.
That said, there’s really not much you can do to impact your baby’s sex. Instead, channel your focus into optimizing your health and lifestyle habits. This will help you increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy.
FAQs
No, this is a misconception that was likely derived from an outdated study by Dr. Shettles. Contemporary research does not support the claim that positioning during intercourse can affect the baby’s sex.
Altering your diet is a helpful way to boost your overall fertility. But as far as trying to conceive a boy, your diet won’t change the outcome one way or the other.
It’s natural to have a preference about what sex you want your baby to be. That said, there’s nothing you can really do to impact the sex of the baby you conceive. The only exception to this is if you opt to use IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis. But this costly procedure is typically only used if medically necessary. Many countries do not approve of this intervention for non-medical reasons due to its controversial nature.
Was this article helpful?
New Biological Insights on X and Y-Bearing Chromosome Spermatozoa
Intersex Conditions – Hudson Institute of Medical Research
The Sex Ratio: A Biological and Statistical Conundrum – Science Direct
Natural family planning and sex selection: Fact or fiction?
Vaginal Douching: Evidence for Risks or Benefits to Women’s Health – PMC
Vaginal Douching – Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing
Cereal-induced gender selection? Most likely a multiple testing false positive – PMC
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