Common myths
Predicting Your Baby's Sex: What's Reliable and What's a Myth
Plenty of myths circulate about predicting a baby's sex — only two methods actually rest on reliable medical evidence.
Belly shape and heart rate: do they reveal the sex?
Many believe a belly that points forward means a boy, and one that spreads wide means a girl — this isn't medically true. Your belly's shape depends on your muscle tone, weight, and the baby's position, not their sex.
Likewise, there's no link between fetal heart rate and sex — heart rate simply changes with how active the baby is at that moment, not with whether it's a boy or a girl.
The Chinese gender chart and other folk methods
The Chinese gender chart predicts sex based on your age and the month of conception — it's for entertainment only and has no scientific or medical basis. The same goes for reading cravings, facial changes, or other folk signs: none have a proven medical link to the baby's sex.
Ultrasound: the most common method
Your doctor can usually tell your baby's sex during the 20-week scan, typically done between weeks 18 and 21. The scan's main purpose is checking the baby's growth and organs — sex identification is an extra part of it, if you want to know.
Source: NHS
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
You can also learn the baby's sex through a non-invasive blood test available from as early as week 10. It analyses the baby's genetic material in your blood, and while its main purpose is screening for certain chromosomal conditions, sex determination is part of what it reports.
Source: MedlinePlus
Follow your baby's development with reliable information
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Try NawahCommon questions
Do pregnancy cravings reveal the baby's sex?
There's no proven medical link between what you crave and your baby's sex — strong cravings are generally tied to hormonal changes during pregnancy.
When can I know my baby's sex for certain?
It can be identified with high accuracy through non-invasive prenatal testing from week 10, or through the 20-week scan between weeks 18 and 21.
Sources
- 20-week screening scanNHS · retrieved 2026-09-16
- Prenatal cell-free DNA screeningMedlinePlus · retrieved 2026-09-16
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It does not replace a doctor, and it knows nothing about your particular pregnancy. If something feels wrong, contact your doctor instead of waiting for the next scheduled visit.