Chinese Gender Predictor: Boy or Girl? Discover the Prediction!

Are you on the exciting journey of pregnancy and bursting with curiosity about the baby’s sex? One of the most popular and ancient games to try and guess whether you’ll have a boy or a girl is the Chinese Gender Chart. Here, we present our Chinese Gender Predictor, a fun tool that uses this ancestral chart to make a guess about the sex of your future baby.

Based on the mother’s lunar age at the time of conception and the lunar month in which conception occurred, the Chinese chart is a tradition with centuries of history. Although it lacks scientific proof and its accuracy is comparable to flipping a coin (about 50%), many families around the world enjoy making this prediction.

Use our calculator below by entering the mother’s date of birth and the date of conception (or the estimated due date) and see what Chinese folk wisdom predicts for you! Remember: it’s just a playful way to engage with the anticipation of your baby’s arrival.

Keep reading to understand more about the fascinating history behind the Chinese Gender Chart, how our predictor works, what science says about its accuracy, and what the reliable methods are for discovering your baby’s sex.

The History and Origin of the Chinese Gender Chart

The Chinese Gender Chart, also known as the Chinese Pregnancy Calendar, has a fascinating history dating back hundreds of years. According to legend, this chart was discovered in a royal tomb near Beijing, China, and is said to be over 700 years old. It is believed to have been originally developed during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and was kept as a closely guarded secret by the Chinese imperial family.

It is said that Chinese emperors used this chart as a guide to try and influence the sex of their future heirs, especially when they desired male children to continue the imperial lineage. The chart was supposedly developed by imperial court astronomers and sages, who studied lunar cycles and their alleged influence on fertility and conception.

How Does the Chinese Chart Work?

The Chinese Chart method is based on two main factors:

1. Mother’s Lunar Age: In the Chinese calendar, age is calculated differently. A person is considered 1 year old at birth, and age increases on the Chinese New Year, not on the birthday. To simplify, our predictor performs this conversion automatically.
2. Lunar Month of Conception: The Chinese lunar calendar does not exactly correspond to the Gregorian calendar we use in the West. Lunar months begin with the new moon and are approximately 29.5 days long.

The chart works by cross-referencing these two pieces of information in a matrix. Each cell in the matrix contains the prediction: boy or girl. Our tool performs all these complex calculations for you, converting your date of birth and the date of conception (or estimated due date) to the Chinese lunar calendar.

The Chart in Chinese Culture

In traditional Chinese culture, astrology and lunar cycles hold great importance. It is believed that the moon influences various aspects of life, including fertility and conception. The Chinese chart is just one of many traditional methods reflecting this belief in the connection between celestial cycles and human life.

It is important to note that in ancient China, there was a strong preference for male children due to cultural and economic factors. Boys were seen as continuers of the family line and responsible for caring for parents in old age. This cultural preference influenced the development of various methods to “predict” or even attempt to influence the baby’s sex.

Today, the Chinese chart is used mainly as a fun curiosity during pregnancy, without the original cultural connotations. People from all cultures around the world enjoy testing this ancient method, comparing its results with the baby’s actual sex after birth.

Accuracy of the Chinese Chart and Alternative Scientific Methods

What Does Science Say About the Chinese Chart?

Although the Chinese Gender Chart has a fascinating history and is culturally significant, it is important to address its accuracy from a scientific perspective. Researchers at the University of Michigan conducted a comprehensive study to test the effectiveness of this traditional method. They analyzed records of 2.8 million births in Sweden, converting the mothers’ ages and conception months to the Chinese lunar calendar.

The result? The Chinese chart had an accuracy rate of approximately 50% – the same as you would get by flipping a coin to guess the baby’s sex. This means that, while fun, the chart has no proven scientific basis for predicting a baby’s sex.

Several factors determine a baby’s sex, the main one being the chromosomal combination that occurs at the moment of fertilization:

• If a sperm with a Y chromosome fertilizes the egg, the baby will be a boy (XY)
• If a sperm with an X chromosome fertilizes the egg, the baby will be a girl (XX)

This process is random and is not influenced by the mother’s age or the month of conception, as the Chinese chart suggests.

Scientific Methods to Discover the Baby’s Sex

If you are curious to know your baby’s sex accurately, several reliable scientific methods are available today:

1. Ultrasonography (Ultrasound): This is the most common and non-invasive method. Generally, the baby’s sex can be identified during the morphology ultrasound, performed between the 18th and 22nd week of gestation. Accuracy ranges from 95% to 100%, depending on the baby’s position, the quality of the equipment, and the professional’s experience.
2. Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT): This blood test analyzes small fragments of the baby’s DNA circulating in the mother’s blood. It can be performed from the 10th week of gestation and has an accuracy rate of over 99% in determining sex. Additionally, it also screens for chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome.
3. Amniocentesis: This invasive procedure collects a small amount of amniotic fluid for analysis. It is usually performed between the 15th and 20th week of gestation. Although extremely accurate for determining the baby’s sex, it is typically recommended only when there are concerns about genetic abnormalities, due to the small risks associated with the procedure.
4. Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS): Similar to amniocentesis, this invasive test collects a small sample of placental tissue. It is performed between the 10th and 13th week of gestation and is also highly accurate, but generally reserved for genetic diagnoses.
5. At-Home Gender Prediction Tests: Kits are available on the market that claim to predict the baby’s sex using the mother’s urine. However, scientific studies do not support their effectiveness, and their accuracy is comparable to the Chinese chart (around 50%).

Why Use the Chinese Chart, Then?

Even knowing that the accuracy of the Chinese chart is limited, many people still enjoy consulting it. Why?

• It’s an interesting cultural tradition with centuries of history
• It provides a fun moment during pregnancy
• It can be a topic of conversation and speculation among friends and family
• It causes no harm and has no cost
• Some people report surprising coincidences (although this can be explained by statistical probability)

Our Chinese Gender Predictor tool offers an easy and fun way to experience this ancient tradition, but we always recommend viewing it as a game, not as a scientific prediction method.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Chinese Gender Predictor

1. Is the Chinese Gender Predictor reliable?

No. Scientific studies have shown that the Chinese Gender Chart has an accuracy rate of approximately 50%, which is the same as flipping a coin. It should be used only as a fun game and not as a reliable method for determining the baby’s sex.

2. How does the predictor calculate the mother’s lunar age?

The calculation of lunar age is complex as it follows the Chinese lunar calendar. Generally, a person is considered 1 year old at birth, and age increases on the Chinese New Year. Our tool automatically estimates this conversion based on your date of birth and the date of conception.

3. What should I enter: date of conception or estimated due date (EDD)?

You can enter either date. If you know the exact date of conception, use it. If you only have the estimated due date (EDD), our tool will estimate the conception date by subtracting 266 days (approximately 38 weeks) from the EDD.

4. Does the chart work for twins?

The Chinese chart was developed to predict the sex of a single baby. It does not have the capability to predict the sex of twins or multiples.

5. Can the chart be used to choose the baby’s sex?

There is no scientific evidence that the Chinese chart can be used to influence or choose the baby’s sex. Sex is determined by chromosomes at the moment of fertilization.

6. What is the difference between sex and gender?

It’s important to note that “sex” refers to the biological characteristics (chromosomes, genitals) a person is born with (male, female, intersex). “Gender” refers to a person’s social and personal identity (man, woman, non-binary, etc.), which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth. The Chinese chart attempts to predict biological sex.

7. Are there other similar popular charts or methods?

Yes, there are many other popular and folk methods for trying to predict a baby’s sex, such as the Ramzi method, the shape of the mother’s belly, food cravings, etc. Like the Chinese chart, none of these methods have scientific proof.

8. What are the reliable methods to know the baby’s sex?

Reliable scientific methods include ultrasonography (usually from the 18th week), non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT, from the 10th week), amniocentesis, and chorionic villus sampling (CVS).