How to determine the sex of a child using baking soda: a home test
Moms swear that this method of determining the sex works.
Finding out that you are pregnant is a big and solemn moment. But your curiosity does not end there, of course. Perhaps you quickly want to get an answer to another important question: will you have a boy or a girl? And many parents find that waiting for an ultrasound in the second trimester to find out the sex of the baby is very painful. You will be surprised, but some are sure that home tests can help you. We were interested in a life hack on how to determine the sex of the baby with baking soda. It went viral on the Internet, and to carry it out you do not need anything other than baking soda, urine and a glass.
You may have heard of a way to find out the sex of your baby long before 20 weeks of pregnancy by conducting a do-it-yourself science experiment at home. MigNews offers to learn more about this unusual test at home.
How to determine the sex of your baby with baking soda
The baking soda gender test involves just two simple steps. The expectant mother places a tablespoon or two of baking soda in a glass. Then she adds a little of her urine to the soda.
If the mixture fizzes like a shaken soft drink, she's likely having a boy. On the other hand, if the baking soda and urine don't react, she's likely having a girl.
Proponents of the test claim that the baby's gender changes certain hormones in the mother's body, which can cause her urine to become more acidic.
There's nothing wrong with trying a baking soda gender test, but know that your results only have a 50/50 chance of being accurate. Source: MigNews + youtube.com/@mahihometips
How accurate is the baking soda gender test?
Some people believe that the test helped them. While some moms have had positive experiences with the baking soda gender test, medical evidence suggests that their accurate results were a coincidence. Unfortunately, the baking soda gender test cannot predict the sex of your baby. Instead, the baby's sex is determined by a chemical reaction of acids and bases that are not linked to the X or Y chromosomes.
Urine is normally acidic, which naturally protects the urinary tract from infection. When it combines with baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate), carbon dioxide is released.
While the logic behind the test is that the baby's gender affects the acidity of your urine, the pH level is primarily influenced by other factors, such as your diet, medications, and hydration levels. These factors can change throughout pregnancy, but the baby's genetic sex does not.
In other words, the baking soda gender test is as accurate as other myths.
“I took the baking soda test during my last pregnancy and it was beyond praise (a boy) – my daughter just turned 2 last month,” wrote one What to Expect member. “These tests are just for fun and should be taken with a grain of salt.”
Alternatives to the Baking Soda Gender Test
If you want to know if you're having a boy or a girl before you give birth, there are several ways to find out the sex of your baby during pregnancy. Here are some more accurate and high-tech testing options:
- Prenatal non-invasive screening. As early as nine weeks into your pregnancy, you can find out the sex of your baby with a simple blood test called non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Studies show that it is more than 99% accurate in predicting the baby's sex, and it can also help determine the risk of chromosomal abnormalities, including trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome).
- CVS and amniocentesis. CVS and amniocentesis are diagnostic tests that analyze the baby's genetic makeup and detect chromosomal abnormalities. They are usually done between 10 and 13 weeks of pregnancy for CVS and between 16 and 18 weeks for amniocentesis, although the timing can vary.
- Second-trimester ultrasound. A second-trimester ultrasound is usually scheduled between 18 and 20 weeks, and that's when your doctor can determine the sex of your baby from the sonogram. If you're carrying a girl, your baby's uterus is fully formed at this time, and the vaginal canal is beginning to develop. If your baby is a boy, the testicles are starting to descend around this time.
Did you know that you can use shampoo to test for pregnancy? Here's a quick at-home test for you.
