Very Active Baby In Womb Means Boy Or Girl: Predicting Your Baby’s Gender

No study or research finds a solid relationship between the movement of the fetus and its gender. A very active baby in the womb doesn’t necessarily indicate a boy or girl. Factors like the stage of development, the presence of amniotic fluid, and not having an anterior placenta (that results in an active movement of the fetus) influence the fetus’s activity in the womb. And two accurate and commonly used ways to find out the gender of your baby are – ultrasound and amniocentesis.

Pregnancy is an exciting and overwhelming period. As a parent, you want to learn everything about the little one who will enter your life soon.

You might have heard tales that a very active baby in the womb predicts you’ll give birth to a boy. But is it that easy to predict the gender of your unborn baby?

We’ll help you filter through some information and bust the age-old tale linking fetal movement with gender.

Factors that affect fetal movement in the womb

Many factors affect the motion of a fetus in the womb.

Just because your little one is moving at a faster speed or showing lots of movement inside doesn’t indicate its gender is that of a male baby.

Similarly, just because you feel lesser movement or infrequent movement doesn’t imply that the fetus is a girl baby.

A couple feels really happy about welcoming their baby, and the father holds a pair of pink shoes.

It’s essential to look at the developmental stage of the womb, which explains fetal movement.

Research shows some women experience the first fetal movements as early as the 16th week of pregnancy. And others experience them as late as the 22nd week.

Here are some of the factors influencing a fast or slow movement:

Your baby’s movement becomes more apparent in the third trimester. This could indicate a quicker movement. It is a sign that the fetus is growing in strength and progressing toward complete maturity.
The fetus floats in the amniotic fluid in the womb. This fluid, along with some other functions, promotes the movement of the developing fetus in the womb. With a large amount of amniotic fluid, the fetus can move quickly and with incredible speed.
In the case of an anterior placenta, the placenta is positioned in front of the uterus. For this reason, it becomes difficult for the mother to feel the baby’s movement. Hence, it might take slightly longer to feel the baby move, but there is nothing to worry about.

Does fetal activity help to find out the gender of the baby?

The story goes that when a baby moves around a lot inside a pregnant woman, the baby is a boy. However, there is no proof that this is true.

Scientists have researched to try and find a link between a baby’s movements and their gender, but they have not found any clear connection.

So we can’t really know a baby’s gender just by how much they move around in the womb.

Doctors generally teach pregnant ladies some ways to monitor and check on the movement of the fetus.

But usually, the accuracy of the data reported by the mothers cannot be relied on entirely, as every individual experience is different.

Besides, as mentioned above, fetal activity depends on many factors.

As experiments by scientists are insufficient and uncertain in finding any link between the fetus’s activity in the womb and its gender, it’s better not to predict your kiddo’s gender based on fetal movement.

Instead, work towards maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Just eat and rest well for a happy and nourishing time during your pregnancy.

Are there other ways to predict a baby’s gender?

Now, fetal movement may not help you find the gender of your baby. Still, there are other ways to find out.

Medical ways and imaging can help determine the gender of your baby. The two most common methods are – ultrasound and amniocentesis.

Let’s understand what these methods are and the risks and benefits of each.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a non-invasive and highly used method to find out the sex of the baby.

In this method, the doctor will apply the gel to your belly and move a small transducer device over it.

A young couple is showing an ultrasound of their baby to the video chat on the laptop.

The device uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the developing fetus. The image is then used to see the genitalia of the fetus.

This option is only doable after 18 weeks of pregnancy.

The limitation with this method occurs due to the position of the fetus in the womb, where the image of the genitalia cannot be created easily.

But research shows that ultrasound produces an accurate result. In addition, as ultrasounds use sound waves over radiation, they are safe to use.

Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a more invasive procedure. The first thing you should know is that this test isn’t offered to all pregnant women. It’s only offered when there’s a higher chance of your baby having a genetic condition.

Also, there’re certain risks and possible complications attached to this testing. So, there’s a need to get a detailed understanding of everything.

It involves removing a small amount of amniotic fluid from a pregnant woman’s uterus to test for genetic or chromosomal conditions and to find the sex of the fetus.

It is an uncomfortable procedure that involves a needle getting stuck to the mother’s belly to remove the amniotic fluid.

It’s usually not performed before the 15th week of pregnancy.

There is a small risk involved with this procedure. It’s that of miscarriage, estimated to occur in up to 1 out of every 200 women.

But it is the most accurate way to find a baby’s sex.

Now that you know about these two methods, you can choose either one with the help of your doctor to find out the gender of your baby.

FAQs

Should I be worried if my baby is very active?

An active baby tells you your baby is doing well, and you have nothing to worry about.

Research shows that women becoming mothers for the first time often start experiencing womb activity between 16-24 weeks.

They typically experience the baby’s kicks and punches as they progress in their pregnancy. It indicates that the baby is in good health and is ready to kick some butts.

Also, in the last few weeks of pregnancy, mothers might experience a difference in womb activity, which may increase or decrease.

Anyhow, do keep in mind that every pregnancy is different. For example, suppose mothers notice unusual signs, such as inactivity for an extended period, or the baby is unusually active.

In that case, visiting a doctor and getting it checked out is the best.

Does a very active baby mean early delivery?

A very active baby indicates that your baby is moving its limbs and joints and is developing correctly.

Yet, mothers pregnant for the first time may notice the womb activity increase towards their 3rd trimester. Still, it doesn’t mean they’ll for sure have an early delivery.

Does every baby start as a girl?

Yes, every human, whatever their gender identity, starts out as a female in the womb.

They all develop from the same starting point despite the presence of XX, XY, or atypical sex chromosomes.

Only after 6-7 weeks of pregnancy that the expression of a gene on the Y chromosome become prominent. This leads to the formation of testes resulting in a baby boy.

Conclusion

Being an expectant parent is not easy, and questions will flood your mind. Still, it’s important to ground yourself repeatedly with the correct information.

And we’d love to read about your personal experience. What are the various stories you have heard about finding the gender of a baby? Please share them with us in the comments below.

References

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