There’s an old saying amongst expectant mothers and fathers: “I don’t care whether it’s a boy or a girl as long as it’s healthy.”   While there is little doubt that all expectant parents hope for a healthy baby, recent studies suggest that this is not the only thing that matters. Some studies suggest that a vast majority of expectant parents specifically wish to either conceive a boy or conceive a girl.

Of expectant couples who used an ultrasound to determine the gender of their baby, more than 80% of those surveyed noted that a primary factor in the decision to learn the gender of their baby was so they could deal with any potential disappointment prior to birth.  This suggests there was a clear preference to either conceive a boy or conceive a girl.

There are many reasons why a couple may seek to conceive a baby of specific gender.  It is said that women often express a desire for daughters while men more typically have a preference for a son.  It is also not uncommon for couples who already have one or two children of a specific gender to want a child of opposite gender so they may complete a more gender-balanced family group.  Many professional couples wait longer to have children and have fewer children.  This more planned approach often increases interest in baby gender selection.

In addition to gender selection, couples waiting later in life to start a family often must deal with issues related to fertility.  Fortunately there are many excellent resources to help increase fertility naturally and get pregnant faster.

While scientists maintain that gender selection occurs almost totally at random, there is much anecdotal evidence that indicates it is possible to influence whether you conceive a boy or conceive a girl through a variety of techniques. Regardless of whether baby gender selection is possible the question remains:  Is having a gender preference OK?

For some, trying to influence the gender of a baby amounts to little more than meddling with the natural order while for others increasing the odds of conceiving a girl, for example, would simply be an expression of personal choice.

In either case, whether you try to influence the gender of your baby or not, what ultimately matters is to simply to love the child you get.  A baby is a precious gift and the start of a lifetime of memories.  Developing the loving connection between parent and child is something that can be the most rewarding experience of both lives.