IN THIS ARTICLE
When you are pregnant, you get lots of personal questions, including the inevitable classic: “Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?” While it can be easy to opt for the uncontroversial answer of “We don’t care, as long as it’s healthy,” the truth is that plenty of parents-to-be are crossing their fingers and hoping for a particular sex of baby. For some parents-to-be, just hoping for a boy isn’t enough. But what does the science say about how to conceive a boy? Is there any truth to old wives’ tales about diet or sexual position? Are there actually strategies pre-conception that will up your odds of conceiving a boy? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is yes and no, depending on just how much science factors into your perspective.
High-tech gender selection
On the heavy science side, couples who are going through in vitro fertilization (IVF) may have the option to choose the gender of their child prior to implantation through a technique called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. The upside to the technique, which happens in a laboratory and can also be used to check for inherited genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis, is that it is about 95% accurate in terms of resulting in a baby with your preferred gender. The downside is significant cost and the fact that you have to undergo IVF to achieve it, which means that most couples are likely not going to conceive that way.
Sperm sorting
Another science-heavy approach to getting a boy is with sperm sorting (also known as MicroSort). In this process, the father-to-be provides sperm, which is then processed to separate the X and Y chromosomes. Once separated, the sperm with the desired chromosomes is used for either an IVF or IUI procedure. Some data suggests this is a reliable way to get a boy — but it is costly and not currently available in the United States. So maybe those old wives’ tales are sounding like a more appealing option after all. But do they work?
Diet
According to folk wisdom, if you want a boy, you should eat lots of bananas, red meat, salty snacks, and sips of coffee. It turns out those old wives just might have been on to something. According to researchers in the United Kingdom, there is evidence that suggests that women who eat more calories around the time of conception appear to be more likely to conceive a boy. They also found that women who had boys seemed to have more potassium, calcium, and vitamins C, E, and B12 in their diet, suggesting that these nutrients might be helpful if a boy is what you are hoping for. So go ahead and have that bowl of ice cream — just be sure to throw a banana on top for good measure!
Timing
According to those who follow the Shettles method, you can up your chances of a boy by making sure you have sex as close to the day of ovulation as possible — ideally within 12 hours of ovulation. The theory behind this is that sperm carrying male genes is more fragile than “female sperm” and thus less likely to live as long in the prospective mother’s body. The problem with this approach is that there isn’t a lot of science that supports this theory and it is awfully hard for anyone to know exactly what hour they ovulated.
Sexual position
There are those, including fans of the Shettles method, that say sexual position can sway your odds of having a boy. The theory goes that sperm with Y chromosomes swim faster than sperm with X chromosomes, so you can give the “boy sperm” a head start by going for it in positions that allow for deeper penetration, like doggy style. Proponents of this theory also argue that the couple should make sure that the woman has an orgasm, as the orgasm can help move sperm toward the egg. While a pro-female-orgasm position is great (and fun!), there really isn’t any science to support the idea that “male sperm” swim faster than “female sperm.”
Boxers vs. briefs
Another theory holds that because sperm with the male chromosome is thought to be more fragile than sperm with the female chromosome, men who want a boy should avoid wearing tight clothes and should opt for boxers over briefs. The truth on this one is that boxers are probably a better bet for all men hoping to get someone pregnant, as loose-fitting underwear can promote a higher sperm count overall. But will a bit more breeze mean a better chance for a boy? Probably not.
The bottom line
We know that there are some expensive and invasive options that have some scientific evidence for success, but what about other suggestions, including supplements, essential oils, and more? It’s probably best not to get your hopes up. “Unfortunately no method of selecting a boy or girl really works. Many wives’ tales suggesting timing, frequency of intercourse, lying in a certain position, temperature of the room, etc. None really work, and it generally is a 50/50 flip of the coin,” states Dr. Robert Gustofson, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility expert.
May the odds be ever in your favor!
