Timing as a Gender Swaying Factor

The probably most often quoted approach to influence the sex of a baby naturally is called the 'Shettles method'.

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It was developed by Dr. Landrum B. Shettles in the 1960s and covers a set of recommendations aimed at increasing the probability of conceiving a baby of a desired sex through natural means. The method is based on the belief that sperm carrying the X chromosome (which leads to a female child) are slower but more resilient than sperm carrying the Y chromosome (which leads to a male child). These are the key recommendations:

 

To increase the chances of conceiving a boy:

• Time intercourse close to ovulation: Since Y sperm are faster but less resilient, having intercourse close to ovulation (within 12-24 hours before) can increase the likelihood of the Y sperm reaching the egg first.

• Utilize deep penetration: Deep penetration during intercourse, such as the rear-entry position, can place sperm closer to the cervix, giving the faster Y sperm an advantage.

 

To increase the chances of conceiving a girl:

• Time intercourse before ovulation and 'cut off': Have intercourse 3-4 days before ovulation and then stop. This 'cut off' is based on the resilience of X sperm, thought to survive longer, thus increasing the chances of fertilizing the egg once the Y sperm have perished. 

• Utilize shallow penetration: Shallow penetration during intercourse, such as the missionary position, can deposit sperm further from the cervix, giving the more resilient X sperm a better chance of surviving the longer journey to the egg.

 

Even though Shettles findings were quickly disproved, the misinformation around Y and X sperms remain to this day.

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Reading Shettles's reports in Nature and other peer-reviewed journals, many researchers thereafter believed that Y sperm swim faster than X sperm. The finding particularly influenced research on sperm separation. Although several attempts have been made to correct this impression, it was not until the development of computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) that reliable observations could be made. So far, researchers have found no morphological differences between human X sperm and Y sperm.

"Neither mature sperm nor their precursors possess significant morphological differences between X and Y genotypes; and Y bull sperm do not swim faster than X sperm.” (Grant, 2006)

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Shettles findings were discussed broadly and followed by multiple studies – most suggested the opposite of what Shettles was proposing: There is a higher chance of conceiving a girl during the most fertile days of the menstrual cycle – which are the days prior to and during ovulation.

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In 1972, Guerrero examined 1,318 conception cycles and found that “the proportion of male births diminished from 68 percent six or more days before, to 44 percent on the day of the shift” (shift being the shift of basal body temperature, indicating ovulation). His work was used by the American scientist Elizabeth Whelan, who published a book in 1977 ('Boy or Girl'), in which she suggested that intercourse 6-4 days before ovulation will favor boys, while intercourse closer to ovulation will favor girls. These recommendations are often discussed as the Whelan-method. Guerrero's findings were confirmed by further studies (James 1972, Guerrero, Harlap 1979, France et al 1985, Perez et al 1985). All these studies “show a statistically significant lower proportion of male births among conceptions that occur during the most fertile time of the cycle” (Ronald et al 1991).

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In 1995, a team of scientists around Wilcox studied the timing of intercourse in relation to the sex of the babies of 221 women, of which 129 had a live birth. They concluded in an often-quoted article in The New England Journal of Medicine that there is no influence of timing of insemination during the menstrual cycle on the baby’s gender. “Among healthy women trying to conceive, nearly all pregnancies can be attributed to intercourse during a six-day period ending on the day of ovulation. For practical purposes, the timing of sexual intercourse in relation to ovulation has no influence on the sex of the baby.” (Wilcox et al 1995)

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This was confirmed in 1998 by scientists from ‘The Johns Hopkins University’ in Baltimore: “Although these findings may be affected by imprecision of the data, the study suggests that manipulation of the timing of insemination during the cycle cannot be used to affect the sex of offspring.” (Gray et al 1998)

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Further research, including investigations using advanced microscopy techniques in 2001, 2006, and 2013, has also refuted claims about physical differences between X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm.

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Ovulation Tracking and Stress: Following the 'cut off' strategy to conceive a girl requires precise ovulation tracking, which can be stressful and demanding. This effort does not necessarily justify the outcomes, as the method's effectiveness is scientifically disputed. There is also the risk of not falling pregnant at all. There is no harm in following these practices, but if it keeps you from falling pregnant, stop using this method.

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Diet-based gender swaying holds stronger scientific backing compared to timing. Engaging in dietary adjustments, supported by scientific studies, presents a less stressful and potentially more effective approach to influencing a baby’s gender.

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In conclusion, timing of intercourse seems to have either no or just a small impact on the gender of your child. If anything, there is a higher chance to conceive a girl at your most fertile days, which are around the day of ovulation.

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If you still decide to go with the popular (but opposite to the above) Shettles method, suggesting to cut off intercourse 3-4 days before ovulation to conceive a girl, you can use this advice on tracking your ovulation and use our ovulation tracker  - just be aware that there is controversial scientific evidence for this and, when saying for a girl, that this can significantly reduce your overall probability of falling pregnant.

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For those interested in a more detailed understanding of gender swaying techniques, especially dietary methods, consider becoming a free member to access over 30 methods and our popular Girl or Boy Food Guide or purchasing a comprehensive Girl or Boy Sway Plan, which comes with a Swaying Masterclass on all popular gender swaying methods and a simple one-page gender swaying Action list to sway either for a girl or boy easily. 💚

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