8 Pregnancy Symptoms You Cannot Rely On to Predict Your Baby's Gender

Can one tell whether she's having a boy or a girl based on her belly's shape and position? Here's what we say: Medical technology (read: ultrasound) can now tell your baby's gender with a good amount of certainty! It rarely has anything to do with your belly's, er, physical manifestation. 

There's a lot of myths out there, and it can be fun to use to make a bet with your husband (keep it clean now, guys). But before you do so, you may want to read what will help you win that bet. 

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#1 When the tummy’s shape is pointed, the baby inside the womb is a boy. If it’s round, it’s a girl.
Let's get this out of the way first. The shape of the belly indicates the size of your baby and how he is positioned inside the uterus. Sometimes it may appear round, sometimes pointed. It is not a way to tell the baby’s gender. 

#2 If a pregnant woman has little or no morning sickness, she’s having a boy.
One of the reasons why this myth persists is because of a Swedish study of over 1 million women who had severe nausea (hyperemesis gravidarum) during pregnancy. Fifty-five percent of these moms delivered girls, and the findings suggested the hormones produced by the female unborn baby could make moms they feel morning. But, as was pointed out, "experts aren't sure how their findings apply to women who suffer from more typical morning sickness."

One mom who could also easily refute the study's results: Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. She suffered hyperemesis gravidarum for both Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and she experienced it again during her current and third pregnancy.

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#3 You can tell if a preggo is having a baby girl or boy based on — wait for it — the baby's heartbeat. 
As far as gender predictions go, this is by far our favorite. You can start hearing the heartbeat of the baby at six weeks. If a pulse is fast (around 140 beats per minute), it will be a girl, and anything lower than 140 beats per minute means you’re having a boy. But medical studies show there is no connection between the heartbeat and the baby’s gender. 

#4 Darker underarms and darker neck cuts or folds mean you’re having a boy
A lot of pregnant women experience hyperpigmentation, and it happens to 90% of pregnant women. It is caused by the changes and increases in certain hormones like progesterone. It may last until after childbirth, but the color of the skin goes back to normal. It has nothing to do with the baby's gender

#5 A pregnant woman who is “blooming” is carrying a girl. 
Science has yet to confirm if there is any truth to this. But the "blooming" or the pregnancy glow has a lot more to do with the hormonal changes. It can cause the skin to produce more oil, so you get that radiance in your face. If that is the case, count yourself blessed because too much oil leads to an acne breakout (and it doesn't necessarily you will have a boy). Just manage your skin by using oil-free products.

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#6 A preggo who loves to watch action movies, robots, cars shows is carrying a boy while a preggo who likes to watch feminine shows is carrying a girl.
Hey, it's the 21st century. We need to stop assigning gender roles before our babies are even born. 

#7 Pregnant women who love to eat salty, sour, and meat will most likely have a boy. If she likes to eat vegetables and sweets, she’s carrying a girl.
Food cravings during pregnancy are hormone-related just like how we crave for food during and before getting the monthly period. Craving for sweets or any food is probably because your hormones have intensified your sense of smell.

#8 If the color of pregnant woman’s urine is yellow or bright yellow, she’s having a girl. If it’s clear, she’s having a boy.
If the color of a pregnant woman’s urine is dominantly yellow, whether it's dark or light, it can mean she needs to drink more water. A pregnant woman can get dehydrated when she vomits (because of the morning sickness or being nauseous because of being more sensitive to all the hormonal changes). Your urine test can indicate if a woman is pregnant, but cannot predict a baby’s gender.

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