You can't guarantee conceiving a girl, as sperm determines sex, but popular theories like the Shettles Method suggest having intercourse several days before ovulation, avoiding deep penetration and female orgasm, and creating a more acidic vaginal environment with certain foods (like dairy, leafy greens, whole grains) to favor slower, stronger X (girl) sperm over faster Y (boy) sperm. However, these are unproven folklore, with scientific consensus stating natural methods lack proof, though advanced techniques like IVF with Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) can select embryo sex.
According to Shettles, to conceive a girl you need to:
Have sex 2.5 – 4 days before you ovulate. Timing sex is the key here, so it would help if you keep an ovulation chart where you can predict what days of your cycle you are likely to ovulate and have lots of sex before you release an egg.
According to Dr Shettles, having sex between four to two days before ovulation increase the chances of conceiving a girl, the male sperm are less likely to survive long enough to fertilise the egg as it travels down the fallopian tube.
Couples who do have sex need to use birth control properly and consistently to prevent pregnancy. For example, the birth control pill can be effective in preventing pregnancy. But if pills are skipped, it isn't an effective method. Condoms can be an effective form of birth control too.
Having sex before ovulation is important. Knowing when you ovulate and having sex regularly from 3 to 4 days before ovulation until one day after ovulation improves the odds of getting pregnant. Ovulation is the process in which an ovary releases an egg.
Top tips for planning a pregnancy for men
When we look at the statistics the chances of having a boy or a girl are almost the same and there's no medical evidence to suggest we can influence this.
Just remember that there are no guarantees and the odds of conceiving a boy or a girl are almost exactly the same for each and every pregnancy.
The '3 month pill' is not a pill that lasts for 3 months at a time, but rather, a dosage cycle where pills are taken every day for 3 straight months, followed by a week of inactive pills.
It's true that sleeping together during your “fertile window” – the five days before ovulation and the day you ovulate – can increase the chances of getting pregnant. But in general, the dates and times of intercourse have no influence over whether your baby is a boy or girl.
It is the father's sperm cell that determines the sex of the baby at the point of conception (when the sperm fertilizes the egg). Females carry XX sex chromosomes, with each egg containing an X chromosome. Males carry XY chromosomes, with each sperm cell containing either an X or Y sex chromosome.
Intercourse a Few Days Before Ovulation
So, you must track your ovulation and try to plan regular intercourse two to three days before ovulation [5]. Also, avoid intercourse a day before ovulation or on the ovulation day, as that may favor faster Y sperm. This way, you may improve your chances of conceiving a girl.
Physiological changes caused by maternal stress can influence whether female offspring go on to give birth to more males or females, University of Tasmania researcher Amy Edwards said after conducting a series of tests using mice.
Nutrition & Minerals: Supporting How to Conceive a Girl or Boy Naturally
The energy intake of pregnant women is about 10% higher when they are carrying a boy rather than a girl. Our findings support the hypothesis that women carrying male rather than female embryos may have higher energy requirements and that male embryos may be more susceptible to energy restriction.
The study found that maternal age played a key role in children's sex at birth. Women who began having children over age 28 were slightly more likely to have either all boys or all girls. Chavarro said these differences could be due to biological changes in women as they age.
Common causes of infertility include: lack of regular ovulation (the monthly release of an egg) poor quality semen. blocked or damaged fallopian tubes.
More specifically, to increase the chances of a baby girl, Shettles advised having sex in the days immediately after a period and abstaining altogether for around three days before ovulation. By the time you ovulate, he said, only the longer-living X chromosome sperm are likely to still be alive.
Shettles Method
To conceive a girl: Have sex 2–3 days before ovulation, and abstain from sex right before ovulation to increase the chances that an X-bearing sperm (the ones that have survived longer after ejaculation) fertilizes the egg.
So in theory, there should be a 50% chance of producing a child of either sex. Meiosis produces an equal amout of male and female sperm. However, some families claim to almost always have boys, or girls, and that it runs in their family.
Maintaining a healthy pregnancy is not hard when you know how to do it! The three golden rules are to always listen to your doctor's advice, eat healthy, and stay active. Remember, don't focus only on your baby's growth because ultimately keeping yourself healthy is the first step to keeping your baby healthy!
What happens when I'm 3 cm dilated? Once your cervix reaches 3 cm dilation, you've probably entered the early stage of labor. During this stage, your cervix gradually dilates to about 6 cm. This is the longest part of labor and can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, although between 8 to 12 hours is common.
Certain meats and fish
Raw or undercooked meat, including beef, poultry and pork. This includes hotdogs and deli meat (like ham or bologna). If you eat hotdogs or deli meat, cook them until they are steaming hot or just avoid completely. Raw fish, especially shellfish.