Sex Selection Before Conception
Q: I have 2 beautiful little girls and would love to have
a boy as my last child. My friends told me that there are tricks that would
improve my chances but I'm skeptical. Could you recommend something?
Dr. Donnica: Your odds of having a boy or a girl in any pregnancy
are independent of the sex of the children you already have. With no intervention,
your chance of having a boy in your next pregnancy is 50%. While there are some
"tricks" that can increase your odds, the most important factor to
consider first is whether you want another child no matter what. One medical
study suggested that if a woman has an orgasm during the sexual act of conception,
her odds of conceiving a male child increased. Another study suggested that
if a woman conceived earlier in her fertile days, she'd be more likely to have
a boy. For couples who carry sex-linked genetic diseases, there are sperm-washing
in vitro interventions available which can greatly facilitate gender determination,
but I do not recommend this for any other circumstances.
Created: 9/15/2002 - Donnica Moore, M.D.
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