### Do Old Wives' Tales Accurately Predict the Sex of Your Baby? When you're pregnant, you might hear various old wives' tales about predicting your baby's sex. For example, some people say that if you're carrying low, you're having a boy, or if you have morning sickness all day, it's definitely a girl. There are even stranger myths, like hanging a wedding ring from a strand of the father's hair over the belly or mixing urine with Drano to predict the baby's sex. However, modern medical technology can determine an unborn baby's sex with almost total certainty, making these old tales unnecessary. Despite this, these myths persist, partly due to the internet and social media, where they spread quickly. Some people might mistakenly take these myths as medical facts. Most of these tales are harmless, but it's essential to know the source of the information you're paying attention to or sharing. New parents, especially first-time ones, can be particularly vulnerable to these myths because they are eager to do everything right and gather all the information they can. Some myths might seem accurate because they have a 50/50 chance of being right. For example, the myth that a baby's heart rate can predict its sex has some basis in reality. Studies have shown that a female baby's heart beats faster than a male baby's just before delivery. However, this difference is not significant enough to rely on for sex prediction. Other myths, like the wedding ring test or the Drano test, have no scientific basis. The Drano test, in particular, is not only inaccurate but also dangerous, as Drano is a caustic chemical. Cravings for sweets or sour foods and the severity of morning sickness are also not reliable indicators of a baby's sex. While some studies suggest that severe morning sickness might be more common in pregnancies with girls, this is not a definitive rule. The Chinese lunar calendar is another popular method, but it is no more accurate than a random guess. If you're curious about your baby's sex, an ultrasound between 18-20 weeks of pregnancy can usually determine it with about 80% to 90% accuracy. More invasive tests like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS) can also determine the baby's sex with high accuracy but are usually reserved for detecting genetic disorders. Genetic testing after nine weeks of pregnancy can also check the baby's sex with 99% accuracy.