BABY BOY OR GIRL , Childbirth Myths | Dr. Farwa Hameed

Every pregnant woman in Islamabad has heard at least one prediction about her baby's gender from a relative, neighbour, or even a stranger at a wedding. Heartbeat speed, shape of the belly, food cravings, skin changes: these old wives' tales get passed down generation after generation, and most expecting mothers end up confused about what to actually believe.

As one of the best gynecologist in Islamabad, I get asked about these myths almost every week during antenatal visits. So let's go through the most common ones, and look at what science actually says about predicting whether you're carrying a boy or a girl.

Myth 1: A Fast Heartbeat Means It's a Girl

This is probably the most repeated myth in Pakistani households. The belief is simple: if the baby's heart rate is above 140 beats per minute, it's a girl, and if it's below that, it's a boy.

In reality, fetal heart rate has nothing to do with gender. Heart rate naturally varies through pregnancy and depends on the baby's age, movement, and the stage of the scan. A baby's heartbeat can range anywhere from 110 to 160 beats per minute regardless of whether it's a boy or a girl. Doctors use heart rate to check the baby's wellbeing, not to guess gender.

Myth 2: Belly Shape Tells You the Gender

Carrying high means a girl, carrying low or wide means a boy, or so the story goes. This one is purely based on how the mother's body is built and the position of the baby on a given day, not on gender at all.

Belly shape changes with muscle tone, the number of previous pregnancies, the position of the uterus, and how the baby is sitting at that particular stage. A first-time mother often carries differently than someone on her third pregnancy, and that has nothing to do with whether she's expecting a son or a daughter.

Myth 3: Cravings and Morning Sickness Predict Gender

Craving sweet things supposedly means a girl, while craving sour or salty food means a boy. Severe morning sickness is also said to point toward a girl.

There is no solid medical evidence linking cravings to fetal sex. Hormonal shifts during pregnancy affect taste and appetite, and these shifts vary from woman to woman and even from one pregnancy to the next in the same woman. Some research has looked at links between pregnancy sickness and hormone levels, but nothing conclusive ties it to gender specifically.

Myth 4: Skin and Hair Changes

"Your skin is glowing, must be a boy" or "your skin broke out, must be a girl" is another common line. Skin and hair changes during pregnancy are driven by hormonal fluctuations and blood flow, which happen in every pregnancy regardless of gender.

If you're noticing unusual skin changes and want proper guidance during your pregnancy, our pregnancy and antenatal care service covers regular monitoring so nothing gets missed along the way.

What Actually Determines Gender

Gender is decided at the moment of conception, based on whether the sperm carries an X or Y chromosome. The mother's body, food habits, or skin condition play no role in this. Once the baby is developing, there are two reliable ways to confirm gender:

Ultrasound scan, usually accurate from around 18 to 20 weeks onward, when the baby's anatomy is clear enough to see.

NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing), a blood test that can detect gender as early as 10 weeks with high accuracy, often done alongside chromosomal screening.

Both of these are medically reliable, unlike heart rate, cravings, or belly shape.

Why These Myths Still Matter

In our culture, gender-related expectations carry a lot of emotional weight, and that pressure sometimes affects how mothers feel about their pregnancy. It's worth reminding patients that a healthy baby, not the predicted gender, should be the real focus of every checkup. If you're early in your pregnancy and curious about what changes to expect overall, our blog on early pregnancy symptoms every mother should know covers this in more detail.

If you're looking for accurate answers instead of guesswork, booking a proper ultrasound with a qualified gynecologist is always the better route than relying on tradition.