There is a popular myth that says the fetal heart rate can be used to predict the gender of a baby. This belief has been around for decades, despite studies showing it to be inaccurate. The theory claims that a fetal heart rate over 140 beats per minute (bpm) means you are having a girl, and below 140 bpm means you are having a boy.
However, this theory has been debunked by numerous scientific studies. Research has found that the fetal heart rate is not a reliable predictor of a baby’s gender. The fetal heart rate can vary widely from one moment to the next, and is influenced by a variety of factors, including the baby’s movements, the mother’s position, and the mother’s activity level.
In fact, the fetal heart rate can change even during labor, making it an unreliable indicator of gender. Rather than focusing on the fetal heart rate, doctors and ultrasound technicians rely on other methods to determine the gender of a baby, such as ultrasound or amniocentesis.
So, while it might be tempting to try to predict your baby’s gender by guessing at the fetal heart rate, it is not a reliable method. Instead, doctors suggest waiting until an ultrasound around 20 weeks pregnant for the most accurate determination of a baby’s gender.
In conclusion, the fetal heart rate cannot be used to determine the gender of a baby. Despite a popular myth, research has shown that the fetal heart rate is not a reliable predictor, and other methods such as ultrasound or amniocentesis should be used instead.