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Can we know the sex of the baby from the 1st ultrasound?
It’s possible. We can already get an idea of the sex on the 12 week ultrasound. During this examination, the doctor examines the various organs, in particular the genital tubercle. A number of studies have shown that its inclination could suggest the sex of the baby. When the tuber is in the axis of the body, it would be rather a little girl whereas if it is perpendicular, it could be a boy. The result would be 80% reliable. But caution, it all depends on when the ultrasound is performed and how long the practitioner takes to examine the sex. Knowing that the first ultrasound has a well-defined objective (number of fetuses and location, fetal vitality, nuchal translucency, anatomy), sex identification is clearly not the priority.
In addition, obstetrician-gynecologists today agreed to no longer reveal the sex of the baby during this examination. ” The margin of error is too large », explains Dr Bessis, vice-president of the French College of Fetal Ultrasound (CFEF). “ From the moment we give an impression, even with great care, parents construct an image of this child. If it turns out that we were wrong, there can be a lot of damage at the psychic level.. So it’s up to you to examine the pictures once you get home. Or not. Some couples prefer to keep the surprise until the end.
In video: What if I am disappointed with the gender of my baby?
A blood test ? It is possible to know the sex thanks to a maternal blood test taken from the 7th week of pregnancy. This process is indicated when there is a genetic risk of a sex-related disease.. For example, if the anomaly is carried by the father and it is a little girl, then it is not necessary to resort to an invasive test. |
Second ultrasound: knowing the baby’s gender with certainty
Some couples find out the sex of their child during visits to the gynecologist during which he allows himself a small routine ultrasound. But most often it is during the second ultrasound that the sex is known. In fact, in the meantime, the fetal genitalia has formed. The tuber has turned into a clitoris or a penis. But again, the appearance is sometimes misleading. And no one is safe from confusion. Above all, the fetus can put itself in a position (knees bent, hands in front…) which makes its sex difficult to see. Finally, to be 100% sure, we will have to wait a few more months.