Sex determination
January 13, 2010 | 10,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Susanne Plotz
Hello, my question is, I was assured in almost 20 weeks that we are having a girl, which made us very happy after two boys. Yesterday in the 32nd week, the same doctor told us that it is actually going to be a boy. How can this be? I am devastated and just can't believe it. Are there any signs that I can find out myself? Because the well-being and appearance of the pregnancy is fundamentally different from my two boys. Sincerely, M.E.
Dear inquirer,
first of all, chin up, please don't be too sad and try to be happy that you are (most likely) carrying a healthy child in your belly and are lucky to be pregnant (many would wish for that!).
I can understand you well. The gender is usually determined by ultrasound, but sometimes the baby is positioned in a way that it cannot be clearly seen or it may appear to be a girl at first and later turns out to be a boy. So, ultrasound does not give you 100% certainty.
The only way to be sure is through tests like amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. However, these tests are conducted in early pregnancy (at 15-16 weeks or 12 weeks) and not just to determine the gender of the child, but also to rule out any potential abnormalities. From the 20th week, it is possible to extract blood from the umbilical cord. But again, there must be a medical indication for it, meaning: this test is only conducted if a disease is suspected in the baby and not just to determine the gender. In all three tests, the gender of the baby is included, but they are not done solely for that purpose. It would be too risky, as all methods carry the risk of something happening (such as miscarriage, harm to the baby, premature labor, etc.).
Unfortunately, I have to tell you that you cannot really find out the gender of your baby yourself. There are no signs during pregnancy that could indicate it. Also, the fact that your pregnancy is different from previous ones is not a sign that it's a girl.
So, I can only advise you once again that a healthy boy is also a gift and perhaps in a few days, when the initial shock of the news has passed, you may still find joy in it.
I wish you all the best and send you warm regards,
Your Susanne Plotz
