Boy or girl? How to find out the sex of a child using an ultrasound. When can an ultrasound determine the sex of a child?

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Almost all future parents are interested in the gender of their future baby in order to have time to purchase all the essentials in the right color scheme. The surest way is to determine the sex of the child by ultrasound or screening, which is possible in the early and middle stages of pregnancy. Some try to program the sex of the future baby even before conception, but this is not always possible and not for everyone.

Why do you need to determine gender by ultrasound?

The first ultrasound examination of a pregnant woman should be done around the 12th week. At this time, the baby is still poorly visible, so the gender cannot be determined medically, because all the necessary organs have not yet formed. The main essence of the study in the first trimester is to find out how the fetus is developing and whether there are any pathologies. In the second trimester, the doctor can often tell with high accuracy who you will be born with.

How long can you determine the sex of a child?

A doctor can correctly determine the sex of a child by ultrasound only in a situation where the fetus lies in the correct position in the abdomen. Babies can cover themselves with their hand, umbilical cord, or press their legs. The earliest time it is possible to find out the gender is 14 weeks. It should be remembered that in this case the probability of error is more than 50%. Basically, you will be told exactly the gender of the baby during the second ultrasound examination, which is carried out at 20-23 weeks. This time is associated with the development and manifestation of sexual characteristics in the fetus. The probability of error is 10%.

Does 3D ultrasound help accurately determine gender identity?

Modern technologies are constantly moving forward, and medicine does not stand still. In this regard, in addition to the standard 2D method, the 3D generation is gaining popularity - screening ultrasound, where the child is seen in a three-dimensional image. Future parents can see a photo of the baby, in addition to information about the gender, find out who he looks like - the outlines of the face and developmental defects are clearly visible. This procedure has limitations: the pregnancy must exceed 10 weeks. When carried out, free radicals can be formed, which have a detrimental effect on the development of the fetus.

Signs of gender during ultrasound diagnostics

An ultrasound shows the sex of the child using a special sensor that determines the presence of the labia in a girl or the scrotum and penis in a boy. The examination is determined by the position of the embryo in the uterus, the thickness of the walls, and the amount of intrauterine fluid. From the 6th week, the fetal genitals begin to form, genital tubercles appear, which over time transform into genitals. By 20-21 weeks, the organs are formed, which can be seen in the study.

Why ultrasound results may be inaccurate

It has been proven that the ultrasound method, as a method of determining the sex of a baby, is accurate to a maximum of 90%. Inaccuracies occur, and the causes of errors may be:

• Short gestational age. A pregnant woman is always so interested in finding out who she will have, that she asks to find out the sex of the child at the first ultrasound. You need to understand that the fetus is not yet fully formed, so it’s easy to make a mistake.
• Last screening before birth. During this period, it is most difficult to find out the baby’s gender, because he is already big, so he curls up, hiding all his organs.
• Human factor. The gender of the child can already be seen on an ultrasound, but the doctor, due to certain circumstances, may make mistakes. This may be due to his inexperience, outdated equipment, failures in the equipment sensor, etc.
• Ethics. Some psychologists argue that an error in gender determination leads to increased postpartum depression.

How to determine the sex of a child during a multiple pregnancy using ultrasound

Twins can be determined already during the first ultrasound, but at such a short period the number of embryos is questionable, because sometimes the second fetus can be resorbed harmlessly. From the 8th week, after conducting a study, you can determine how many fetal heartbeats can be heard. In case of multiple pregnancy, the sex of the child is determined by ultrasound in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, and it is performed more often than 3 times in 9 months.

Alternative methods of determining gender

If future parents do not want to find out the sex of the child on an ultrasound, then they can navigate and analyze other indicators of the mother’s health. Thus, severe toxicosis in the first trimester of pregnancy indicates a girl, and its absence indicates a boy. This has been proven by the research of many scientists. Nausea occurs due to an increase in a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin. However, you cannot focus solely on this sign.

Invasive methods

The essence of these methods is to penetrate the female body to determine sex. They are carried out only for medical reasons, because they are dangerous. This is rare, but sometimes it is inevitable, for example, if the mother or father has genetic diseases, then the birth of a boy or girl is undesirable in order to avoid possible pathologies. There are three invasive methods, which are based on the study of chromosomes in DNA:

1. chorionic villus biopsy (performed at 8-10 weeks; the essence is to analyze part of the placenta);
2. amniocentnesis (amniotic fluid is analyzed at 17-18 weeks);
3. cordocentesis (blood from the fetal umbilical cord is analyzed).

Calculation methods

The advantage of these methods is their complete safety, the ability to carry out calculations independently, at home. The most popular ways to determine the sex of a baby without an ultrasound are:

• Calculation using Chinese and Japanese tables. They can be easily found on the Internet. They are based on the month of conception, the age of the mother, and the years of birth of each parent.
• Determination of parental blood renewal. Whose blood was renewed later - the baby will be of that gender. For women, this process occurs once every 3 years, for men – every 4 years.
• Calculation by blood group.
• Calculation based on the difference between the date of conception and the date of ovulation. It has been proven that if sex occurred during or after ovulation, a son will be born, if on the contrary, a daughter will be born.

Many try to follow all the signs because they are expecting a child of a certain gender, others are simply curious, and still others want to decorate the children's room in a certain color.

Until now, the most reliable methods remain laboratory tests and. All other alternative methods of determining sex have a fairly large error.

Ultrasound examination is mandatory during pregnancy. A pregnant woman goes through this procedure at least 3 times (scheduled ultrasounds in each trimester). If necessary, ultrasound is performed more often. This is a completely safe procedure for the fetus and mother. It can be prescribed as often as needed. Ultrasound allows not only to determine the sex of the unborn child, but also to identify the smallest deviations in its development.

Before finding out the sex of the baby, the woman receives a referral for an ultrasound scan. A child's sexual characteristics are not formed immediately, although gender is determined during conception. The most informative is an ultrasound in the third trimester, when the genitals are fully formed.

The embryo does not have external distinctive sexual characteristics until 6-7 weeks, so the gender cannot be recognized at the first ultrasound. By 9-10 weeks, a tubercle is formed, which, under the influence, turns into the penis, and under the influence of estrogen, into the clitoris and labia. At the 12th week of pregnancy, the first planned ultrasound is performed. It is possible to determine gender at this stage, but the likelihood of error is too high, since sexual characteristics are not sufficiently expressed.

In the second and third trimester, the error decreases significantly, but a difficulty arises because the child often moves and can block the genitals from the ultrasound sensor.

The ultrasound procedure for determining the sex of a child has several features:

1. Even a method such as ultrasound is not 100% accurate. At any stage of pregnancy, the reliability does not exceed 98%. The fetus is not always positioned in such a way that the doctor can examine sexual characteristics. Also, accuracy depends on the qualifications of the doctor and the equipment.
2. If the baby’s position does not allow him to determine his gender, the mother is asked to move, walk around, and stroke her stomach so that the baby turns over.
3. Private medical centers have equipment that allows you to display images in 3D or 4D. The error when using such equipment is significantly reduced, and the accuracy is close to 100%. Also, the mother can receive a photo or video with a recording of the examination.

The likelihood of error is reduced if gender is determined at every routine ultrasound. Just before birth, the baby's activity is reduced due to its size, so determining the gender using ultrasound is much easier.

Determining the sex of a child using a blood test

Few people know that ultrasound is not the only informative method for determining the sex of a child. Clinics do not always offer to determine the sex of the baby using. This is usually a paid procedure and is carried out at will.

This method was developed by scientists in the Netherlands in 2009. According to research, the accuracy of this method is close to 100% over a certain period of time. 189 pregnant women took part in the research program, and the gender of the child was accurately determined for all of them.

This is one of the safest and most informative methods of determining sex. As is known, in the body of a woman there are only X chromosomes, while men have X and Y chromosomes. The mother and baby have a common bloodstream, but they are separated by the placenta, which partially acts as a filter. However, it has been proven that a small number of the baby's cells still enter the mother's blood. A blood test to determine the sex of the baby is based on this fact. If Y chromosomes are detected, it means the woman is carrying a boy.

From the video you can find out the most popular folk signs by which you can find out the gender of the child:

A small amount of venous blood is taken for the analysis. Such an analysis can be carried out for several purposes:

• Determination of gender. For standard sex determination, the ultrasound method is more often used, but if a woman wishes, she can donate blood in any private laboratory. The procedure is paid, but completely safe and quite informative.
• Determination of genetic diseases. Some diseases are linked to sex chromosomes and are transmitted only to a child of a certain gender. Therefore, determining gender early in pregnancy can be extremely important.
• Determination of developmental disorders. In some cases, the analysis can detect various chromosomal abnormalities in early pregnancy. However, before deciding to terminate the pregnancy, additional examinations need to be carried out.
• Determining sex using a blood test is best done from 6-7 weeks, since at earlier stages there is a high probability of error.
• A blood test allows you to avoid more traumatic procedures that require puncture of the amniotic sac. Although the procedure is only 85-90% accurate in detecting genetic abnormalities, there are no risks associated with complications.

To more accurately determine gender, it is recommended to donate blood to both the mother and father. The result is ready within 2-4 days.

Folk signs

Folk signs related to gender determination have been accumulated and carefully preserved for years. However, their accuracy remains questionable. Most folk methods are based on the course of pregnancy and its characteristics. Each pregnancy is individual, and a woman’s well-being is not always related to the gender of the child.

The most popular folk signs for determining the gender of a child are:

1. Belly shape. If the belly is noticeable, protruding and slightly elongated, it will be a boy. If the belly is round and protrudes in width, it will be a girl. However, this method does not take into account the possibility of multiple pregnancies. There is also a sign according to which the belly, which protrudes slightly to the right side, speaks of a boy, and to the left - of a girl.
2. Breast. If the nipple areolas are light - a boy, if they are dark - a girl. If the chest bends forward in the first trimester, this is for the son, in the second trimester, for the daughter.
3. Appearance. According to superstitions, daughters take away beauty from their mothers. Therefore, if a woman became ugly during pregnancy and developed skin problems, then this is for a girl. If a woman becomes prettier and blossoms, she bears a son. However, you should not be afraid, acne and age spots during pregnancy are temporary phenomena.
4. Taste preferences. A woman's taste changes during pregnancy and is difficult to predict. However, women carrying sons are much more likely to give up dairy products and sweets due to nausea, and women pregnant with girls are much more likely to give up meat, cheese, and coffee.
5. Behavior. Emotional and capricious pregnant women are often promised daughters. If a woman is relaxed, calm, but this is male self-control and, accordingly, a boy.
6. Dreams. Many people talk about prophetic dreams “on the contrary.” If you dream about your son all the time, then it will be a girl. If you dream of a daughter, a son will be born.
7. Toxicosis. The phenomenon of toxicosis has not yet been fully studied. It appears individually, can last until childbirth, and its intensity cannot be determined in advance. They say that severe and long-term toxicosis indicates a girl, and its absence indicates a boy.
8. Age. Mature women more often give birth to girls, and young women in labor often give birth to boys.

It is worth remembering that all these signs are based on the physiology of a pregnant woman, which is not so easy to predict. If you need to determine your gender accurately, it is better to go to a clinic, donate blood, or have it done.

Other methods for determining the sex of a child

Most often, various calculations by age are carried out by women at a very early stage of pregnancy, when ultrasound is still far away, but they really want to know the sex of the child. It is worth remembering that the accuracy of these methods has not been reliably confirmed.

Often one method may contradict another. If you need to determine gender at a very early stage (from 5 weeks), then it is better to go to the clinic and donate blood.

The most popular methods for determining the gender of a child are:

• By date of ovulation. The X chromosomes take longer to reach the egg, approximately 2-3 days, the Y chromosome reaches it almost immediately. Therefore, if sexual intercourse took place a few days before ovulation, it is most likely to be a girl.
• Chinese. The Chinese sex determination table is often used when planning pregnancy. On the Internet you can find many sites where the calendar is compiled automatically. It is enough to enter the mother's age and the expected date of conception (or ovulation). Age must correspond to the lunar calendar, so the date and year of birth of the mother is entered. It should be taken into account that the Chinese consider a woman’s reproductive age to be 18-45 years old. It is during this period that the sex of the child can be calculated.
• Japanese. The Japanese method is considered no less accurate than the Chinese one. You can find out your gender using a special calendar. To compile it, you need to indicate the day, month, year of birth of the parents and the expected date of conception. The difficulty of the method is that the date of conception can be difficult to determine. A woman’s ovulation sometimes shifts, or fertilization of the egg occurs outside of ovulation. The Japanese method involves 2 tables. The first shows the birth months of the parents. By comparing them, you can determine the number of the pair. In the second table, the number is compared with the date of conception.
• By heartbeat. The baby's heartbeat can be clearly heard at 12-14 weeks of pregnancy. Even experienced doctors believe that a fast heartbeat (more than 140 beats per minute) is a sign of female gender.
• By . There is a theory according to which women's blood is renewed every 3 years, and men's blood is renewed every 4 years. The age of each parent is divided by this number. Whose result is lower will be the child’s gender

All these methods cannot be called scientific. You can check the correctness of these methods by comparing them with ultrasound results.

1 - Anus
2 - Labioscrotal tubercles
3 - Legs
4 - Genital tubercle
7 - Deepening of the urethra
8 - Genital folds

Embryo size - 45 mm.

At the 9th week there are no noticeable differences between the genitals of a boy and a girl. The genital tubercle and genital folds are surrounded externally by labioscrotal tubercles. The pictures confirm that the boy and the girl are no different in appearance.

Boy (11 weeks post fertilization, 13 obstetric weeks)

Boy, 11 weeks

Embryo size - 64 mm.

The development of male external genitalia depends on dihydrotestosterone, which is produced by the testes. The genital tubercle lengthens and grows, forming into the penis, and the urogenital folds on both sides of the urogenital membrane begin to fuse, forming the urethra. The labial-scrotal tubercles grow rapidly and turn into the scrotum, fused along the midline.

In boys, the genital tubercle forms the penis (4) . The body of the penis is formed from the genital folds; at this stage of development, the formation of the penis is not yet complete (7) . Scrotum (6) formed from labioscrotal tubercles (2) . Scrotal fusion line (5) formed by the connection of the labial-scrotal tubercles.

At this stage of development, the testicles are located in the abdomen. They do not descend into the scrotum (6) up to 7-8 months of pregnancy.

The foreskin at the 12th week of embryo development is already formed.

Changes in the development of the genital organs of girls at 13-20 weeks after fertilization

Girls have very little testosterone in their blood. Therefore, after the formation of the external genitalia in the 8th week, in the future they practically do not change in appearance.

The genital tubercle turns into the clitoris; it can increase not only while it is in the mother’s stomach, but also after the birth of the girl.

The genitourinary folds form the labia minora. The labioscrotal tubercles enlarge and become the labia majora, while the urogenital groove remains open, forming the entrance to the vagina.

The position of the external opening of the urethra is determined by the 14th week of embryo development.

13 week embryo size - 90 mm, 17 weeks - 150 mm, 20 weeks - 185 mm.

Girl, ultrasound 13-20 weeks

1 - Anus
2 - Buttocks
3 - Clitoris
4 - Labia majora
6 - Legs
7 - Labia minora

Girls' genitals are formed from the same folds and tubercles as boys' genitals.

By the 20th week, the labial-scrotal tubercles and genital folds in girls do not fuse and form small (7) and big (4) labia The clitoris is formed from the genital tubercle (3) .

The ovaries are not identified until the 10th week.

Gender determination during the second planned ultrasound at 20-22 weeks

At week 20, all external changes in the genitals have already occurred and you can “see” everything quite accurately. But if you come across a qualified specialist and high-quality equipment, then an ultrasound can determine the sex of the child starting from the 12th week.

In boys, you can see a lump between the legs, which is the scrotum and penis. may show a round, raised area within the genital area, which is the scrotum and penis. On the ultrasound machine screen, the boys' genitals in profile look like a small snail.

Some babies turn around during an ultrasound so that their genitals are not visible even at the third screening ultrasound at 32-34 weeks.

Determination of the sex of the fetus is influenced by factors such as the position of the fetus, the amount of amniotic fluid and the thickness of the abdominal wall.

Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound makes it easier for specialists to determine the sex of the fetus.

Answers to the most frequently asked questions

Question: Can the sex of the baby be determined at the first screening ultrasound at 12 weeks?

Answer: At 12 weeks, the ultrasound doctor can make a guess regarding gender, sometimes it is a little more accurate than 50/50.

Correct visualization of any part of the fetus depends on many factors, including:

• fetal position,
• amount of amniotic fluid,
• thickness of the abdominal wall, etc.

So, if you are very interested in who will be born, then here are several possibilities assume about the field based on the results of early ultrasound examination.

Such successful pictures as in the photo on the right are extremely rare.

If the child turns so “comfortably”, the sex can be determined 12 weeks after conception (14 obstetric weeks).

3 ways to determine sex by ultrasound in the early stages

1. Determination by analysis the angle between the genital tubercle and the baby's back.

In the ultrasound screenshots below you can see what it looks like. All screens are of embryos at the 12th (14th obstetric) week of pregnancy, the size of the embryos is about 75 mm.

U boys the genital tubercle forms an angle of approximately 30 degrees or more with a back (left column in the photo).

U girls the genital tubercle forms an angle less than 30 degrees(right column of examples in the picture).

2. According to the location of the placenta

If the placenta is located on the right side of the uterus, is more likely to be born boy.

If the placenta is located on the left side of the uterus- wait girl.

This method bears the name of its discoverer and is known as . (Follow the link you will find a description of the research, as well as a vote by site readers on whether the method of determining gender by the location of the placenta was confirmed in their case).

3. According to the shape of the skull

If the skull and jaw are square, it is a boy; if it's round, it's a girl.

Question: How accurate are the results of determining the sex of a child in the first trimester of pregnancy?

Answer: Experienced sonographers can determine gender by measuring the angle of the genital tubercle.
At the 11th week, the percentage of error is approximately 50% (out of 100 boys, 14 of them have an accurate sex determination); at the 14th week, the sex determination is more accurate.

Throughout pregnancy, any woman awaits the next ultrasound examination - it is then that she can see her unborn baby on the monitor of the device and find out its gender. But ultrasound during pregnancy is not limited to this; it is primarily aimed at monitoring the intrauterine development of the fetus and mother and assessing the information received. When receiving diagnostic results, women may wonder: can an ultrasound be wrong?

Psychologists do not advise finding out in advance whether a boy or a girl will be born, explaining this by the possible onset of postpartum depression in the mother due to the unjustification of previously formed expectations. Determining the sex of a child is justified only if hereditary pathologies are identified, since it is believed that they are transmitted only through the male line and are rarely transmitted to girls.

Most often, during research, you can confuse a boy with a girl - if you see a girl, then this is often confirmed, and as a result a girl is born. The optimal period for determining the sex of the child is the second scheduled ultrasound - after 20 weeks.

Are errors allowed during ultrasound examination?

Ultrasound should be performed several times during pregnancy, starting from the establishment of pregnancy and almost until the birth itself. Planned ultrasound is usually performed at the following times:

• 11-14 weeks - first scheduled ultrasound;
• 20-24 weeks - second planned ultrasound;
• 30-32 weeks – third trimester ultrasound.

Ultrasound examination allows you to obtain information about the location of the placenta, the physical condition of the fetus and the degree of its development, and the characteristics of the umbilical cord. Despite the highly informative and reliable nature of this method, certain errors do occur. Erroneous results can be caused by factors such as outdated equipment, low qualifications of the ultrasound diagnostic doctor, and untimely ultrasound. Most often, ultrasound examination errors are made when determining:

• the fact of pregnancy and its pathologies;
• term;
• gender of the unborn child;
• fetal pathologies.

Why does ultrasound incorrectly determine the sex of the child?

Often pregnant women are faced with the fact that an ultrasound indicates a girl, but a boy is born, or vice versa. First of all, This is related to the duration of pregnancy- he is probably still too small to reliably determine the gender of the unborn child. The first scheduled ultrasound occurs between 11 and 13 weeks. At this stage, it is impossible to predict the sex of the child with absolute accuracy, since the process of formation of the genital organs is completed somewhat later, although it begins at about 5 weeks. The size of the fetus is still so small that an ultrasound diagnostic doctor may mistakenly assume one gender or another. Therefore, you should not rely entirely on these results. In some cases, the assumption is confirmed later, but this should be regarded as a mere coincidence.

When determining a boy or a girl, even for long periods, experts can sometimes make a mistake despite the fact that the fetus is already quite large and the genitals are already clearly defined. The doctor is mistaken not because he cannot distinguish a boy from a girl, but because the large fetus, occupying the entire space of the uterus, groups its body in such a way that the genitals are simply covered by other parts of the body - they are not visible and cannot be reliably identified who is there - a boy or a girl.

In addition to the above reasons, there is outdated equipment for ultrasound diagnostics. The data obtained through it may not be accurate. This situation may arise in health care institutions in small areas where there are no large medical centers with modern equipment. Much also depends on the professionalism and level of qualifications of the ultrasound diagnostic doctor. Thus, a specialist with sufficient work experience can easily determine who is in the womb - a boy or a girl, if all other conditions for this have been met.

Ultrasound errors in establishing the fact and timing of pregnancy

It is not uncommon that during ultrasound diagnostics of pregnancy, erroneous results may be obtained. It happens that an ultrasound does not show pregnancy, and the woman continues to live her daily life, not suspecting that she is in an “interesting situation.”

She can find out about it only after several weeks or months have passed. False-negative results regarding pregnancy are obtained if ultrasound is performed too early. If the duration of the delay is not significant, then the embryo may not be detected in the uterine cavity.

It is known that the reliability of ultrasound results can be counted on at an approximate obstetric period of 5-7 weeks. Obstetric period is calculated from the first day of the last menstrual cycle, i.e. The first ultrasound can be done if there is a delay of 3-5 weeks. Otherwise, the data obtained from the ultrasound examination may be erroneous - there is an embryo, but the equipment cannot visualize it. There are women whose menstrual cycle is not stable and regular; in this case, false negative results can also be obtained, since it is not possible to correctly determine the approximate timing of ovulation and conception.

Once the fact of pregnancy has been established, it is necessary to correctly calculate its timing. There may also be errors in this matter. If you conduct an ultrasound examination at 10-11 weeks, then the likelihood of incorrect calculation is practically absent - the timing can be calculated with maximum accuracy. If the first ultrasound is performed at a later period, the likelihood of error increases. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct the first ultrasound examination within the time frames accepted by general requirements in order to avoid obtaining unreliable results. In addition, timely diagnosis will identify possible problems in the child’s intrauterine development.

How accurately can ultrasound determine the pathological course of pregnancy?

Sometimes it happens that the fetus freezes and stops its development. This can occur early in embryonic development. This situation requires prompt diagnosis and identification, since it is fraught with consequences for the woman’s health. But mistakes can also be made in this matter; they most often occur at 5-7 weeks. The reasons for this: incorrect setting of the date of conception - even a difference of a few days can be decisive. Fetal freezing is determined by ultrasound by the presence or absence of a heartbeat. Depending on this parameter, the doctor makes a conclusion. Sometimes it is enough to wait a few days and repeat the ultrasound to hear the heartbeat. Of course, the fact that the heartbeat was not heard does not indicate that the pregnancy should be terminated due to its fading. It is necessary to repeat the study after some time (usually 1 week), and its result will most likely be reliable.

In addition to freezing, there is also ectopic attachment of the fetus, which is also a pathology, and it will not end with the birth of the baby. Regardless of whether such an embryo is viable or not, it must be removed without fail. This is a direct threat to a woman's life. Errors in identifying this pathology also occur in the early period of intrauterine development of the embryo. Although an ultrasound shows a fertilized egg in the uterine cavity, there may not be an embryo in it. The embryo may remain in one of the fallopian tubes and continue its development there. In the uterus there can only be an empty fertilized egg filled with fluid. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of ectopic development, it is necessary to conduct a very thorough examination, and if it is confirmed, take appropriate measures. To exclude such a situation, an ultrasound examination is performed with a transvaginal sensor - this is the most accurate way to detect it, in contrast to the transabdominal method.

Reliability of ultrasound results for determining fetal pathologies

It is believed that diagnostic data obtained through ultrasound examination are reliable and informative. At the same time, there are cases when an ultrasound detects a pathology, but despite this, in the end the baby is born absolutely healthy. There are also cases when the situation is exactly the opposite of the previous one - all the results are within the normal range, but the child is not born as healthy as expected, or the birth occurs with complications. For what reasons can this happen, and how to prevent such a development of the situation?

The main reasons for this outcome lie in the incompetence of the doctor or outdated diagnostic equipment; sometimes these reasons can be combined. To avoid this, if you suspect any violations, you must additionally obtain advice from another specialist and conduct an ultrasound examination in another place, using other equipment. Of course, despite the proven safety of the ultrasound procedure, not all mothers are ready to perform it an unlimited number of times, but if we take into account that the further development of the fetus depends on it, then the priorities become clear.

It should be noted that the results of ultrasound examination may be subjective, i.e. one doctor can diagnose certain pathologies, and another will give an opinion on the full compliance of fetal development indicators with accepted standards and norms.

Ultrasound errors can be associated not only with imperfect equipment and the doctor’s unprofessionalism, but also with the anatomical features of the pregnant woman. Thus, a bicornuate uterus can be assessed on ultrasound as the absence of a limb in the fetus. This is due to the fact that the limbs are simply covered with a layer of the uterus and remain unnoticed. There can be many such examples in practice. That is why additional examination is recommended to prevent erroneous results.

Almost all couples preparing to become parents are interested in who will join their family - a son or a daughter? You can find out the sex of your unborn baby using ultrasound scanning, which is non-invasive and completely safe for the woman and her unborn child. In addition to identifying gender, the purpose of ultrasound examination is to recognize certain pathologies in fetal development that appear due to chromosomal abnormalities.

Features of ultrasound diagnostics during pregnancy

A gynecologist issues a referral for ultrasound diagnostics to all pregnant women. Ultrasound is the most common, simple and painless way to monitor the condition of a woman’s and child’s body, and to determine existing developmental defects in the child. During the entire pregnancy, the expectant mother will undergo three scheduled examinations: at 10-12 weeks, at 20-22 and at 30-32. Ultrasound scanning during these periods of gestation is mandatory and is carried out for certain purposes.

Ultrasound for women carrying a baby is determined by the following tasks:

• identify a potential threat of termination of gestation;
• assess the likelihood of developing abnormalities at the genetic level;
• identify possible birth defects;
• establish the condition and presentation of the baby in the womb.

When does the fetus begin to develop its reproductive system?

Often women who want to become the mother of a child, a girl or a boy, try to plan sexual intercourse for a certain period. It is believed that in order to give birth to a girl, sexual intercourse must occur before ovulation occurs. On the day of ovulation, couples try to conceive a boy. But despite the desire of future parents to influence the gender of the child, beliefs and signs do not work in this case. The days of a woman’s ovulation, diet, blood renewal and the age of the partners do not at all affect whether a boy or a girl is born. The sex of the unborn child depends entirely on the male reproductive cells - sperm. They contain the female set of chromosomes (XX) or the male set (XY).

Determining the sex of the unborn baby occurs at conception. If fertilization of the egg occurred with a sperm with the XX chromosome, the birth of a female child should be expected; if the sperm contained the XY chromosome, the birth would be male. A woman has absolutely no influence on gender planning. The chromosomes in a woman's set are always the same - XX.

After fertilization has occurred, the DNA already contains information about the future child. Conception gives rise to cell division - this is how the embryo is formed. The formation of germ cells occurs in the fifth week of gestation, the formation of the gonads in the seventh week.

After two weeks, the embryo has formed ovaries (in a girl) or testicles (in a boy). The place of formation of the gonads is the abdominal cavity of the child. This occurs in the eighth obstetric week. Gender differences in boys develop slightly faster than in girls. In the middle of the eighth week, the testicles begin to produce testosterone (male sex hormone). It is he who influences the active formation of the internal reproductive system.

External sexual characteristics appear in babies when the expectant mother is 10-11 weeks pregnant. There are no differences between girls and boys during this period, since they have exactly the same external genitalia. These genital organs are expressed by the genital tubercle, which, under the influence of steroid hormones, becomes the penis in boys and the clitoris in girls. Such transformations occur around the 12th week of gestation.

At what week can you find out the sex of the baby by ultrasound?

The exact determination of gender during the first ultrasound is influenced by the qualifications and experience of the doctor and the quality of equipment for ultrasound diagnostics. The result of the first screening should not be trusted unconditionally, although an experienced gynecologist can determine gender with an accuracy of 75 percent. Often doctors at 10-12 weeks refuse to even try to see the gender, asking the pregnant woman to wait about a month.

It is believed that the period at which the sex of the child is determined with 90% accuracy is 15-16 weeks of gestation.

At the second screening, you can already find out with confidence the gender of the unborn baby. At this time, if the fetus is located conveniently, an ultrasound scan can be used to view the boy’s penis and scrotum and the girl’s labia. Errors with sex at 20 weeks practically do not occur, but there are some exceptions.
There is an assertion by ultrasound doctors that it is possible to consider the gender of children without obstacles and doubts at a gestational age of 23-25 ​​weeks. During this period, babies stretch and straighten in the uterus, which facilitates better opening for viewing by the ultrasound sensor.

The third trimester (from 32 weeks) is not so favorable for determining gender, since the baby is already becoming cramped, he can turn sideways or close his genitals by crossing his legs.

In the last trimester, children are usually in a cephalic presentation - head down and with their legs tucked. The genitals are often covered by the umbilical cord. Determining the sex of a baby when he is head up (breech presentation) is even more difficult.

How to determine the sex of a child using ultrasound based on additional characteristics?

To determine the sex of the child using ultrasound diagnostics, you can use additional methods:

• analyze the angle formed by the fetal back and the genital tubercle: if the angle is less than 30 degrees, you should expect a girl, if more than 30 degrees, you should expect a boy;
• evaluate the shape of the skull: with a square type you should expect a boy, with a round type - a girl;
• study the location of the placenta: displaced to the right side of the uterus - a boy will be born, to the left - a girl.

Causes of medical errors

Many women unconditionally trust ultrasound doctors to determine the sex of their unborn child. However, to avoid disappointment, remember that there is no such thing as 100% accuracy. An accurate result is possible in 85-90 percent of all studies. One in ten pregnant women may get an incorrect result.

Often, a diagnostician may make a mistake, not because of inexperience or lack of knowledge, but because the view of the genital organs is difficult.

Common mistakes when performing ultrasound are the following:

• Instead of a boy, a girl was born. In this case, the umbilical cord loops or labia swollen due to hormones are mistaken for the penis. But carrying out diagnostics later gives a different result. Sometimes it happens that it is not possible to determine the sex until birth. The frequency of such an error occurs in 2-3 percent of cases.
• Instead of a girl, a boy was born. Such mistakes happen less frequently and occur in 1-1.5 percent of cases due to the fact that boys in the womb are very “modest”: they close their legs tightly, thus covering their genitals. Such closeness throughout the entire gestation period can cause boys to be mistaken for girls.
• Instead of one baby - two. This also happens, although very rarely - the probability is less than half a percent. It happens that one child is behind his brother or sister. But the second ultrasound shows the true picture. Also, with modern methods for determining the level of hCG in the blood, which is twice the norm, it is easy for a doctor to determine possible twins.

Medical errors occur due to the following reasons:

• Insufficient qualifications and experience of an ultrasound doctor.
• Inspection on outdated equipment: Often antenatal clinics in small localities are not sufficiently equipped with technical equipment.
• Persistent requests of expectant mothers: Often pregnant women are asked to tell the sex of the child. If the examination is carried out in the early stages, then women take any assumption of the doctor as the unconditional truth.
• Diagnosis in late gestation: If according to an ultrasound, a boy is expected at 21-22 weeks, and a girl at 30-32 weeks, you should believe the result obtained earlier, since the middle of gestation allows you to more accurately determine the sex of the baby.

Conclusion

No matter how much future parents would like to have a child of a certain gender, it is impossible to plan this. The couple must remember that the most important thing is the birth of a healthy baby, and a boy or a girl is no longer so important. The main thing is that the child, while in the womb, feels that he is loved and is looking forward to it.

Especially for- Elena Kichak