Determining the sex of your baby – why the shape of your belly and skin appearance are not reliable indicators
- Oh Yes Baby Yes
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
Rihanna is pregnant again – and the internet is speculating. Will it be a girl this time? Or a third boy?
TikTok comments are flooding in: “Her belly looks rounder, it must be a girl.” Or: “She's glowing so much – that's typical for a boy.”
These theories are not new – and they persist. Many pregnant women are confronted with similar statements. But what is the truth? Can you really determine the sex of the baby early on – based solely on the mother's appearance?
Can you tell the sex of the baby by the shape of the belly?
The idea that boys are carried “low and pointed” and girls cause a “high, round belly” is widespread. In fact, however, the shape of the belly depends on completely different factors:
the individual body shape,
the musculature,
the position of the baby
and also whether it is the first pregnancy or not.
None of this has much to do with the sex of the child.
Does the skin provide clues about the sex of the baby?
The idea that girls rob their mothers of their “good looks” and cause blemished skin is another of these myths. These are charming stories that seem emotionally plausible – but they have no medical basis. Such observations are often selective: if they are true, the theory is confirmed – if not, it is simply ignored.
How can the sex of the baby be determined?
There are two medically sound ways to determine the sex:
Non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT): From the 11th week of pregnancy, a blood sample from the mother can detect fetal DNA – including the sex chromosomes.
Ultrasound examination: In the second trimester, the sex can be determined based on the development of the external genitalia – depending on the position and cooperation of the baby.
These two methods provide the only reliable results – all other assumptions remain speculation.
How reliable are pregnancy myths about sex determination?
They persist – but they are based on personal observations, not data. As long as they are used playfully, this is not a problem. It becomes problematic when they trigger expectations or uncertainty.
That's why it's important to me to classify these myths and explain medically what is really meaningful.
You can read more about dealing with pregnancy myths in the full article on 20 Minutes here:
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