How long to determine sex of baby

While the technology isn’t quite there to know immediately, you can still discover the gender much earlier than you might think. You can’t take one of these blood tests just to find out your baby’s sex. Some fetuses develop a little faster or slower than one another, but your baby should begin developing clear sexual characteristics at the 14th.

However, some women might not see this change until later in the second trimester or even into the third. Here are the many ways you can get this intel—and how long you’ll need to wait to get your answer. In typical pregnancies, ultrasound can usually determine gender between 16 and 20 weeks.

When does a baby develop sexual characteristics? Nowadays, there are many tests that determine baby’s sex. Although people casually call them “gender blood tests”, that’s not their primary purpose. A baby’s sex is determined at conception, but sex organs develop later on, particularly between weeks 7 and 12 of pregnancy.

Healthcare providers can do this test toward the end of the first trimester, usually at about 10 weeks. If you’re chomping at the bit (and stressing about baby names!), you may want to find out the sex of your little one—you know, before they make their grand entrance into the world.

Factors influencing when a bump becomes visible include body shape, weight, uterine position, and whether it's a subsequent pregnancy. A child develops sexual characteristics form around the 14th week.

When can you find

Gender is determined immediately upon fertilization, but it is not known until the 16th to 18th week of pregnancy. An XX combination means the baby is female and an XY. Most parents must wait until the anatomy scan, which usually takes place between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, to learn the biological sex.

But how early can you find out? Despite the high accuracy rate of methods such as NIPT after week 10, incorrect gender diagnosis can still happen in the second trimester due to challenges in determining the baby's position.

Some facilities even offer gender reveal sessions as early as 16 weeks. For instance, shorter individuals, those carrying multiples, or those with prior pregnancies may show earlier. So, how can you determine the sex of your baby, and how soon can you find out?

How Many Weeks Does

At 22 weeks, after an anatomy scan at 20 weeks, a mother realized her baby was not the boy she initially thought. Your child’s biological sex is determined by their chromosomes, but it takes time for the fetus to develop sexual characteristics. If patients choose not to undergo Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing NIPTa gender scan can be conducted from 16 weeks onward, with some cases showing fetal sex as early as 11 weeks.

Learn when you can find out whether you're having a boy or a girl, and the difference between relying on ultrasound exams or genetic tests. Most patients undergo an anatomy ultrasound around 18 to 20 weeks, but the sex may be determined by ultrasound as early as 14 weeks.

However, there is a small chance of misidentification during this ultrasound, although such occurrences are rare.

What to Know About

It's a tidbit of real information during a period of anticipation and uncertainty. While many first-time moms might start "showing" between 12 and 16 weeks, individual experiences vary. Typically, a noticeable baby bump appears during the second trimester, around 16 to 20 weeks.

There are several early prediction methods that can determine the sex of your baby, including ultrasound testing, genetic testing, and blood testing.

Blood Test for Gender

One couple learned that their previously assumed boy was actually a girl, demonstrating the true potential for error, especially if the baby is not in the right position for a clear view. Knowing the baby's sex can make you feel more connected to your growing child.

Cardiovascular screening CVS can be done starting at 10 weeks of pregnancy, and it can take about two weeks to get the test results. Some prenatal tests allow for gender identification as early as 14 weeks, but the week scan is often a reliable milestone for expecting parents.

Notably, some may detect a small bump as early as eight weeks, but it usually becomes significant between weeks 12 and 13 as the first trimester concludes. The best time for a detailed gender scan is between 18 and 22 weeks. Keep reading for a breakdown of several options for when to find out your baby's sex during each trimester of pregnancy.

When and how can

At conception, the sex of the baby is determined by chromosomes, and this does not change during pregnancy. While in vitro fertilization with sex selection is an option, most parents must wait for their anatomy scan to learn the biological sex.

Doctors recommend waiting until the anatomy scan, usually conducted between weeks, for a more reliable assessment. Finding out your baby’s gender is an exciting milestone in pregnancy. The only caveat? Advances in technology enable some parents to discover the sex as early as 10 weeks, with various prenatal tests and screenings available.