Finding out your baby’s sex can be one of the most magical events during pregnancy, and with today’s science it’s easy to get an accurate answer to this all-important question: Am I having a boy or a girl? Yet some pregnant couples still choose not to find out and prefer to discover pink or blue in the delivery room. So is there a “right or wrong” way to go about it? Not really. Every woman and couple can weigh the pluses and minuses for themselves and then choose what works for them. To help with that decision, here are some quick pros and cons for early baby sex detection during pregnancy.
Some Pros of Knowing Baby’s Sex Before Birth
It reduces stress: Knowing the scientific tools are available to them to find out, some women just can’t stand not knowing if they’re having a boy or girl. Stress during pregnancy can lead to high blood pressure and other harmful ailments. So if mama tends to get stressed about every little thing, finding out gender early can remove one important unknown and she’ll feel more in control.
Couples can prepare ahead of time: Nine months is a long time to be pregnant, so keeping busy helps the time fly by faster. When a couple know the baby’s gender, they can decorate the nursery ahead of time in colors other than neutral green or yellow. BONUS: They can also have the fun of throwing a gender-reveal party and getting more personalized baby-shower gifts.
You may feel a closer connection sooner: According to experts at Parents Magazine, finding out baby’s gender during pregnancy can help parents feel closer to their little one and may even help the baby seem more “real.”
If you want to know the sex of your baby early, ultrasound is helpful, but may not provide a reliable answer until 20 weeks or later. NIPT is another option, but is not always covered by insurance. Peekaboo is an at-home early gender detection DNA test endorsed by the American Pregnancy Association. This test detects baby’s sex with >99% accuracy as early as 6 weeks. You can learn more about this very-affordable test at PeekabooGenderTest.com.
Some Cons of Knowing Baby’s Sex Before Birth
The element of surprise is no longer a factor: Some couples don’t want to know ahead of time because they believe it’s more fun to wait till birth. They love the idea of surprising family and friends—and even themselves!
Dealing with disappointment: According to Lamaze International, if a mama or papa is “hoping” for a girl, but find out ahead of time that they’re most likely having a boy, this may lessen the excitement and anticipation they feel for the birth. Even if the couple is thrilled with the sex of their little one, family members or friends could express disappointment and that can be very stressful and downright annoying!
Too much blue or pink: Knowing (and spreading the news) about baby’s sex during pregnancy can result in way too many gender-specific gifts from well-meaning friends and family members—not to mention the parents will most likely get bombarded with ideas for baby names.
Again, there is no right or wrong when it comes to knowing baby’s sex before birth—it’s an entirely personal and private decision for a couple to make. As always, the most important things are a healthy pregnancy and healthy newborn.
Want to Know More?
Gender Prediction Tests: The Latest Science
Compiled using information from the following sources:
Lamaze International: https://www.lamaze.org/
March of Dimes: https://www.marchofdimes.org/
Parents Magazine: https://www.parents.com/
