Many expectant parents ask: Can you choose the sex of your child? It's perfectly natural to be curious, especially when you want to prepare or dream of a specific family constellation. The important thing is to distinguish between two things: choosing the sex (sex selection) and being told the sex during pregnancy (sex determination). Here's a calm, practical overview of what's actually possible and what's mostly myths.

If pregnancy occurs naturally, you generally cannot control whether it will be a boy or a girl. The sex is determined at fertilization, when the sperm (with X or Y chromosome) fertilizes the egg (which always has X). The result is typically XX (girl) or XY (boy).

You may encounter advice about timing intercourse around ovulation, changing diet, affecting pH, or using "Chinese gender calendars." The problem is that these methods cannot be guaranteed or documented as reliable ways to choose sex. If you are trying to conceive, it may be more helpful to focus on cycle understanding, health, and well-being rather than promises of a specific sex.

In some cases, sex can be linked to the risk of serious hereditary diseases (sex-linked diseases). Here, fertility treatment with IVF combined with genetic testing of embryos (often referred to as PGT) may be considered.

This is an area with legislation and clear medical criteria, and it is not something you decide at home. If you think this might be relevant for you, the best next step is to talk to your GP or a fertility clinic, who can explain the possibilities, requirements, and framework.

If your question is about when you can find out the sex, it's a different situation than "determining" the sex. With ultrasound, the sex can often be assessed later in pregnancy, but it can vary, and there may be uncertainty depending on the fetus's position and image quality.

• Ask the scanning professional how confident the assessment is.
• Be prepared that it may not always be clearly visible the first time.
• Consider in advance whether you want to know early, later, or not at all.

NIPT (a blood test that can examine the risk of selected chromosomal abnormalities) can also touch on sex chromosomes in some contexts. How and whether sex is disclosed may depend on the offer, indication, and specific practice.

If you are considering NIPT, ask for a thorough explanation of:

• what the test can and cannot do
• what answers you can get
• how the results should be understood

It can be tempting to interpret signs like nausea, belly shape, the baby's pulse, or cravings for sweet/salty as "proof" of sex. These stories can be fun to share, but they are not a reliable way to determine sex. The body reacts very differently from pregnancy to pregnancy, whether it's a boy or a girl.

Even if you can't plan the sex, you can plan your comfort. Many notice early on that their bodies are changing, especially around the breasts and back. Here, it can be reassuring to choose soft support that is made for pregnancy and breastfeeding and avoids underwire.

• Pregnancy – Products for pregnancy focusing on comfort and support throughout the entire process.
• Gel-Support maternity and nursing bra – A supportive alternative to underwire that adapts to body changes and is designed not to block milk ducts.
• Support belts – Support belts for pregnant women that can relieve pressure and provide extra support for the abdomen and back.