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Baby Gender Prediction
Question of the Week

By Vincent Iannelli, M.D., About.com

Updated October 31, 2004

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Q. How do you know if you are having a boy or a girl? Arielle, Palm Springs, California

A. The most accurate medical way to tell if you are pregnant with a boy or girl is to have a sonogram done when you are at about 20 weeks gestation.

But then there are a number of old wives tales that may help you predict the gender of your baby, including that you are pregnant with a boy if:

  • you are carrying your baby low
  • the baby is very active
  • you are craving salt
  • a wedding ring suspended on a string over your belly rocks back and forth and not in a circle
  • the baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute
  • you didn't have a lot of morning sickness in the first trimester
  • your feet are cold
You can also consult a Chinese Gender Chart to make a prediction.

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