How
soon can you tell what sex my baby is?
The
sex of a baby is genetically determined at conception, but during the
early development of embryos, they all look the same. All embryos
have a small bud or swelling. It's known as the genital nub or
protuberance. If you are having a boy, testosterone starts being
produced when you are about seven weeks pregnant, prompting the bud
to grow and develop into a penis and scrotum. In a girl the genital
nub will become the clitoris and labia. This is a gradual process and
it is only from about 11 weeks that it becomes possible to see any
difference between the sexes. By this stage, all babies have
something there but it is difficult to tell them apart, so the chance
of getting the sex right is fairly low.
However,
an ultrasound gender scan can reveal the fetal sex fairly accurately
from 17 weeks gestation onwards. Being told the sex and then finding
out later that it was wrong can be very distressing. Unless you need
to know the sex because you have a family history of genetic problems
linked to gender, it's best to wait until mid-pregnancy.
Consult
your gynaecologist/midwife if:
- You
want to know the sex of the baby
- Your
family history indicates genetic problems linked to gender.
At
Richmond Practice our consultant gynaecologists and obstetricians
offer gender scans from 17 weeks as a single appointment or as part
of the comprehensive maternity care service available. We will give
you a copy of the "photo" of baby as a print-out and/or on a USB
stick.
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