What is a Chinese gender predictor chart?

A Chinese gender predictor chart guesses baby's sex by taking the mother's birth date and the estimated date of conception or the baby's due date, then converting the numbers into the mom's lunar age when she got pregnant and the lunar date of conception. The result is a prediction about whether you'll be having a baby boy or a baby girl. 

The tradition goes back some 700 years, when, according to legend, a gender prediction calendar was discovered in a royal Chinese tomb. Practitioners of Chinese astrology believe that these charts do a pretty good job of predicting the sex of your baby.

But there’s not much information out there from credible sources — either about the chart itself, whether it actually works or how accurate it is. In short, the Chinese gender predictor calendar may just be another old wives’ tale for how to guess baby's sex. 

How accurate is a Chinese gender predictor chart and does it really work?

Lots of pregnant moms-to-be say the Chinese gender predictor chart is the best non-medical test for telling you whether you're having a boy or girl. But how accurate are they, really?

Some claim that using a Chinese gender calendar can be up to 93 percent accurate in predicting your baby’s sex. And because it’s based on your age and the month you conceived, you can consult the chart at any point during your pregnancy.

Unlike the second trimester ultrasound that can reveal your baby’s sex if you want to find out, you don’t have to wait so long to use a Chinese gender predictor.

But of course, there’s no real evidence that Chinese gender calendars work. The chart isn’t based on science, so it’s no more accurate than other low-tech, non-medical gender tests (as far as experts know, anyway!). After all, with only two outcomes — either you’re having a boy or a girl — any unscientific method will be right about 50 percent of the time!

Should I use a Chinese gender calendar?

Sure, if you want to! There’s certainly no harm in giving this and the other fun "boy or girl?" tests a try, and it can be pretty entertaining — especially if you do them with family and friends.

So if you get a kick out of gender guessing games, go for it. Just don’t take the results too seriously or use them to make any big decisions (like picking the perfect baby name or deciding how to decorate the nursery).

How can I determine my baby’s sex for sure?

If you want to find out your baby's sex the accurate way, you’ll have to schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN or midwife. There are a few different tests your practitioner can use to determine your baby’s sex — but in most cases, your doctor, an ultrasound technician or another health care provider will check during the more extensive second trimester ultrasound known as the 20-week anatomy scan, which is usually done between 18 and 22 weeks.

Even though your baby’s sex is set at conception, this ultrasound test doesn't work until the genital anatomy is developed enough to see. This method is highly accurate, but it’s not 100 percent. Even technicians can sometimes make mistakes.

Other medically sound ways of finding out baby’s sex are 100 percent accurate and include noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), chorionic villus sampling (CVS), and amniocentesis (amnio). 

The first one is a blood test used more and more often by moms-to-be wanting to know what they're having early. The other two are generally reserved for higher-risk pregnancies, since they’re more invasive procedures designed to detect chromosomal abnormalities.

Chinese gender predictor charts can be a fun way to guess whether your little bundle will be a boy or a girl. But they’re not based on science, so you should only use them for your own amusement.

If you want to find out for sure, you’ll have to head to your doctor for one of the medical tests known to be accurate. Or you can just wait it out! In a few short months, you’ll get to meet this adorable little person and learn the answer for yourself.