For many centuries, parents have remained in the dark about the sex of their babies. It was only in the twentieth century that there were ways to see the fetus and even recognize its chromosome set while still in the womb.
The easiest and most convenient way to determine the sex of an unborn child is ultrasound diagnostics. This method is most effective during the second trimester of pregnancy. By this time, the fetus becomes large enough and mobile, often turns over and on the ultrasound procedure it is quite possible to see its genitals. Almost all experts agree that even with the most modern and accurate equipment, it will not be possible to determine the child's belonging to one sex or another in this way until the 15th week of pregnancy. But then, the shorter the period, the higher the probability of an error.
In order to find out the sex of the embryo in the earliest stages of pregnancy, there are several invasive methods. These are methods in which genetic material is taken directly from the uterus of a pregnant woman for analysis of the embryo's DNA. This is done by a specialist under local anesthesia and under the control of an ultrasound machine, without touching the fetus itself. But they are all very dangerous and should not be used unless absolutely necessary.
At 11-12 weeks of gestation, the sex of the embryo can be determined using a chorionic biopsy. During this procedure, the doctor uses a thin needle to pierce the patient's abdomen to remove a tiny amount of chorionic villi and find out the chromosome set of the fetus. This procedure is carried out only for medical reasons in cases where there is a risk of giving birth to a baby with genetic disorders. For example, due to hereditary abnormalities in the DNA of one of his parents. It is also done in order to exclude chromosomal diseases such as Down syndrome.
At a later date, the sex of the child is determined using amniocentesis or cordocentesis. Amniocentesis is performed at 12 to 20 weeks. Cordocentesis - after 20 weeks. Through a small puncture, the amniotic fluid of the embryo is taken for analysis in the first case and the umbilical cord blood in the second. These methods guarantee results with 99% confidence, but may increase the risk of miscarriage or fetal infection. They should not be used simply to satisfy curiosity. Better to wait a bit and avoid unnecessary risk.
