Finding out the gender of your baby

Advice on the prediction methods and tests that may be used to determine the gender of your baby and help you find out whether to expect a little boy or girl.

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There are several ways to find out the gender of your baby before birth; you can find out the gender of you baby through ultrasound or as a result of one or two diagnostic tests. :

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)

This diagnostic test is usually performed between 8 and 11 weeks gestation, sometimes as late as 13 weeks. This is generally a test for people who have a high risk of genetic abnormalities. Test results are available within 7 to 14 days. As a by product of doing the test it is also possible to find out the sex of your baby, however there is a small chance that the sex they determine is wrong.

Amniocentesis

This is a diagnostic test that is performed as early as 9 weeks. The tests take about 2-4 weeks to run. Again from an amniocentesis it is possible to find out the sex of your baby however again there is a small chance that the sex they tell you is incorrect.

Ultrasound

Whilst ultrasound can be performed at any stage of pregnancy, for the purpose of finding out the sex of your baby it is best done between 18 and 26 weeks. Most hospitals will not give an ultrasound for the specific purpose of finding out the sex of baby, but you can ask at some hospitals whilst undergoing your 20 week scan. However some hospitals do have a policy of not telling any pregnant woman the sex of her baby. Ultrasound is the most frequent way of finding out the sex of your baby, however accuracy depends on several factors including baby's cooperation, gestational age, technician's ability, etc.