Different methods of gender determination, traditional medicine and gender determination, dietary regimen for conceiving female offspring, positions for conceiving female offspring, Avicenna opinion.
The gender of your child is determined by the most basic method at the moment of sperm-egg encounter during pregnancy. A woman's eggs are genetically encoded with X chromosomes. On the other hand, men produce millions of sperm during ejaculation. Approximately half of these sperm may be encoded with X chromosomes, while the other half carry Y chromosomes.
If the sperm fertilizing the egg carries a Y chromosome, the resulting baby is likely to inherit XY, which we associate with being a boy. If the sperm carrying an X chromosome fertilizes the egg, the resulting baby is likely to inherit XX, meaning a girl. However, this depends on the most general understanding of what gender is and how it is defined. Nevertheless, determining the fetus's gender definitively in a natural pregnancy is not possible from the outset, and in pregnancy tests, only whether the person is pregnant or not is determined. Parents must wait until the end of the third month to determine the fetus's gender.
Methods of gender determination are divided into two categories:
- Methods that involve changing the mother's environmental conditions to increase the likelihood of having a boy or a girl.
- Methods performed by specialists in laboratories, infertility treatment centers, and genetics centers.
Within these two categories, there are various methods listed as follows:
Conceiving a Boy with the Shettles Method
Couples attempting to conceive a boy should avoid sexual intercourse during the period between menstruation and the days leading up to ovulation. Instead, intercourse should occur on the day of ovulation and up to 2 to 3 days afterward.
Conceiving a Girl with the Shettles Method
If you want to conceive a girl, you should have sexual intercourse two to four days before ovulation. When you have clear vaginal mucus, you should refrain from intercourse, as this is a clear sign of ovulation. Avoiding intercourse during this period can generally reduce your chances of becoming pregnant.
Research in this area has now revealed many facts about these methods.
Traditional medicine and gender determination
Traditional medicine in Iran suggests that both parents should make changes to their diet at least three months before pregnancy, according to their temperament.
Foods with warm properties, such as light and simple soups made with rice, meat, and warm vegetables like purslane, onions, chickpeas, cinnamon, pepper, and thyme, are beneficial. Wheat and rice porridge with a little cinnamon and pepper is recommended. Egg yolks from birds such as quail and quince, as well as spices like saffron, celery seeds, anise, and mustard seeds, are also useful. Additionally, desserts made with brown sugar or grape syrup and ginger marmalade are recommended. Pistachios, walnuts, and almonds, as well as vegetables like celery, mint, dill, onions, purslane, fresh garlic, and fruits like figs and sweet grapes, sesame oil, sweet almond oil, and fresh cow's butter in foods and sweet drinks like grape syrup and honey syrup, are also very useful.
How many days after menstruation to have a daughter?
The determination of a child's gender largely depends on the timing of conception. Essentially, the gender of the fetus is determined by the type of sex chromosomes in the sperm. Sperm containing X or Y chromosomes that lead to the creation of a male fetus move more quickly, but have a shorter lifespan compared to sperm containing XX chromosomes that lead to the creation of a female fetus. According to studies, to conceive a girl, intercourse should occur 2 to 4 days before ovulation, allowing only X chromosome sperm to remain. Therefore, it is better to use tools such as calendars (6 to 7 days after the end of menstruation) and ovulation kits to accurately determine the timing of ovulation several months in advance.
Dietary Recommendations for Conceiving a Girl
Consuming foods such as leafy green vegetables, corn, fruits like cornelian cherry, magnesium-rich foods like whole grains, fish, lean meats, and some nuts, as well as foods containing calcium such as dairy products like butter, milk, eggs, and yogurt, can help increase the chances of conceiving a girl.
According to experts in traditional medicine, suitable foods for conceiving a girl include low-fat dairy products, especially milk products, legumes, especially lentils, shrimp, fish, barley, fruits such as plums, apricots, pomegranates, raspberries, apples, peaches, cherries, spinach, onions, turnip, zucchini, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, pickles, jujube, pumpkin seeds, and eating 21 unpeeled zante currant without seed every morning, along with cow's milk and Gavan honey.
Positions for Gender Determination of the Fetus
Shettles recommends that if couples want to have a boy, they should consider the following:
Best Position: Deep penetration. This allows the sperm to be discharged close to the cervix, providing the best opportunity for the eggs in the fallopian tubes. Having intercourse twelve hours before ovulation increases the chances of conceiving a boy. It may also help women achieve orgasm, increase vaginal alkalinity, and assist sperm. Orgasm causes uterine and vaginal contractions, aiding sperm in moving upwards.
Appropriate Position for Conceiving a Girl
One way to conceive a girl is to be informed about the correct position for intimacy and how to conceive. It is said that face-to-face sexual intercourse increases the likelihood of a girl, as it limits penetration depth. In this position, the woman lies on her back, and the man lies on top of her. This position also reduces the amount of sperm entering the cervix. Male sperm remains buoyant for a short period, so by preventing deep penetration, you can prevent male sperm from reaching the egg. Another reason is the pH level of the vagina; the vagina is more acidic at its entrance, which is preferable for conceiving a girl. As a sexual tip, the woman should try not to reach orgasm. Avoiding orgasm may be another key to conceiving a girl. A woman's orgasm creates a more alkaline environment, increasing the chances of a male baby being born. Without these secretions, it is more difficult for male sperm to survive and have less chance of reaching the egg. Try to increase the frequency of intimacy. In the days leading up to ovulation, you should have intercourse as much as possible.
Summary of Avicenna's Theories on Determining Fetal Gender
Avicenna (Ibn Sina) has an interesting discussion about determining the gender of the fetus in the book of “The Canon of Medicine”, from which we mention a simplified excerpt:
1- Formation of Male and Female Fetus:
If the man's semen is warm and abundant; sexual intercourse occurs at the appropriate time and in good condition; the woman is freshly cleansed from menstruation; the semen from the man's right-side flows (because the semen on the right side is warmer and richer than the semen on the left side of the body) and this semen is poured towards the right side of the uterus, the conditions for the creation of a male fetus are more favorable. Also, if the water behind the woman is relatively warm and rich, the likelihood of having a boy will be higher. Conversely, these conditions will lead to the birth of a female fetus.
2- Factors Affecting the Likelihood of Having a Boy:
2-1- Younger women are more likely to have boys.
2-2- If intercourse occurs during the cold season or in a cold environment and during days of northern winds, it will be effective in having a boy.
2-3- For having a boy, both the man and the woman should move towards warmth; meaning they should eat warm foods and use warm scents.
2-4- Body massage with warm oils, such as olive, sesame, or black seed oil, is also beneficial.
2-5- Increasing the distance of intercourse and reducing sexual desire on both sides increases the likelihood of having a boy. However, this increase in distance should not be excessive, as it will reduce the effectiveness of semen and decrease the chances of fertility.
2-6- Men and women should not drink too much water, and if they do, they should drink it slowly and gradually.
2-7- The bedroom should have a very pleasant smell, and natural warm scents such as musk or oud should be used. The most beautiful and best bed should be prepared, and both the man and the woman should be very happy and carefree during intimacy.
2-8- During ejaculation, the man should imagine himself as a brave, handsome, and pleasant hero. (However, it is strongly recommended not to choose this imaginary hero from among actors and athletes, as you may regret it later!)
3- Characteristics of the Ideal Man in Producing a Male Offspring:
This man, whom Ibn Sina calls "the fiery piece," is a man who has a strong body; his flesh is moderately firm and soft; his semen is rich and warm; his testicles are large and have large veins; he does not become impotent by approaching the woman and his water behind him flows from the right side of his body. It is also said that if a man has many sexual dreams, he will produce a male offspring.
4- Characteristics of the Ideal Woman in Giving Birth to a Boy:
This woman, whom Ibn Sina calls "the eagle's mother," is a woman with a moderate color and appearance; her body is neither firm nor loose; her menstrual blood is thick but not contaminated; her senses and movements are ethical; she does not have constant diarrhea or constant constipation; her eyes tend to be blacker than gray, and she is cheerful, generous, and of good character. Women whose menstrual cycle (from the beginning of one period to the beginning of the next) is short and maximum up to 22 days are more prepared to have boys than women whose menstruation and cleanliness last for forty days.
Furthermore, Jorjani in his book "Al-Aghraz al-Tibbiyah wa al-Mabahith al-'Ilmiyyah" has mentioned that if sexual intercourse occurs from the first to the fifth day after the woman's purification, there is a higher probability of the child being a boy. From the sixth to the eighth day, there is a higher probability of the child being a girl, and from the ninth to the fifteenth day, there is a higher probability of the child being a boy. From the sixteenth day until the beginning of the next menstrual cycle, the probability of the child's gender is roughly equal.