Gender Determination

Valid Methods

The only valid ways to truly determine the sex of your baby before delivery are the following:

• CVS test
• Amniocentesis test
• Ultrasound after 14 weeks by an expert
• Pre-implantation gender selection

BEWARE THE SCAMS AND CONS

Selnas Method, BabyChoice, Jonas Method, Chinese Calendar, GenSelect, Smart Stork

These methods involve predicting or causing the sex of the baby depending on the day of fertilization using some type of "mystical" calendar or some magical vitamin or vaginal douche. There are many variations. They require some bizarre calculations using the stars, the sun, the horoscope, or some natural formula determined after "years of painstaking research". They all involve sending money to some company that promises amazing results with a money-back guarantee. Just try to get your money back.

These promoters and their web sites make me sick. They use pseudo-scientific language, yet in reality their explanations are scientifically impossible. However, since many people don't care about proof, they only care about how things sound, they will send their money and take their chances. These methods are a scam, are completely bogus, and anyone who spends money on them deserves to be ripped off.

Can you really find out the baby's sex at 5 weeks of Pregnancy?

Baby Gender Mentor Home DNA Gender Testing Kit by Accu-Gen Labs

This lab claims to be able to determine the sex of the baby as early as 5 weeks gestation. Then, if the pregnancy is of the non-desired sex, a pregnancy termination can be performed, preventing the "wrong" sex baby from being born.

The fetus releases small amounts of its DNA into your blood, and this can be detected and measured. If there is fetal origin Y-chromosome DNA in your blood, you are supposedly carrying a baby boy and if this is not detected, you are supposedly carrying a girl. They claim greater than 90% accuracy.

Many articles are written disputing the accuracy of this test, and NPR (National Public radio) did a report as well. Acu-Gen has released very little information about exactly how the test works. They consider that to be proprietary information. According to NPR's radio report, the company has explained previous inaccurate results as being the result of a vanishing twin, which is a fetus that stopped growing soon after fertilization.

"Until Acu-Gen releases its data, there's no way to know the test's reliability, said Sandra Carson, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine who specializes in sex selection. "Until that's out, I think it shouldn't be on the market," she said. (Reference)

After viewing an ABC report about Baby Gender Mentor's problems and lack of oversight for the test, Florida Congressman Jim Davis has urged the FDA to investigate Acu-Gen and to regulate similar baby gender tests, and the Florida Attorney General has opened an investigation against Acu-Gen. (Reference)