Mum’s Diet May Determine Baby’s Sex

Eating a good breakfast on the day of conception may increase your likelihood of having a son, while skipping breakfast is more likely to produce a daughter, new research claims.

Researchers at Oxford and the University of Exeter in England looked at the diets of 740 first-time pregnant mothers in Britain who did not know the sex of their baby. An analysis of the women’s calorie intake at the time of conception showed that women who had a higher calorie intake around the time of conception and whose diets contained a range of nutrients such as potassium, calcium and vitamins C, E and B12 were more likely to have sons. There was also a strong association between women eating breakfast cereals and producing sons.

A baby’s sex is determined by whether sperm supplies an X or Y chromosome. However, this new study shows that women may be able to influence the development of a son or daughter. While scientists say the link between diet and a baby’s sex is not fully understood, In vitro fertilization studies show that high levels of glucose can encourage the growth of male embryos and inhibit female embryos. Women who are on a diet or skip breakfast will have low glucose levels, and are more likely to conceive a girl.

Lead author Dr Fiona Mathews said: "This research may help to explain why in developed countries, where many young women choose to have low-calorie diets, the proportion of boys born is falling."

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

Posted Thursday 8th May 2008