The Chinese Pregnancy Calendar is an ancient method in Chinese astrology (dating back over 700 years) that claims to be able to predict the sex of a baby based on the mother's age at conception, and the month of conception. According to this method (whose reliability remains highly controversial), the baby's sex is determined by the combination of the mother's age and the month of conception.
Perhaps you're skeptical and closed to this possibility, or curious and interested to find out more? Then you've come to the right place: Elia explains what you need to know about the Chinese calendar and the possibility of deducing the baby's sex from it, as well as a reminder of the only reliable methods in the field!
How does the Chinese calendar work?
The Chinese Pregnancy Calendar, also known as the Chinese Lunar Pregnancy Calendar, is an ancient Chinese astrology method that claims to be able to predict the sex of a future baby based on the mother's age at conception and the month of conception.
The Chinese pregnancy calendar is based on a lunar calendar system like theChinese horoscopeused in China for thousands of years. Unlike the Western calendar, which is based on a solar year of 365 days, the Chinese calendar is based on a lunar year of 12 lunar cycles, or around 354 days.
The Chinese pregnancy calendar therefore uses a table that combines the mother's age at conception, and the month of conception, to predict the baby's sex. This table is often represented in the form of a grid, with the mother's age in the left-hand column and the month of conception horizontally across the top.
To use the Chinese Pregnancy Calendar if you're pregnant, you need to know your age(admittedly rather easy) at the time of conception, as well as the month of conception (beware, if intercourse took place at the end of the month, doubts may arise!) .
The Chinese pregnancy calendar is therefore based on Chinese astrology, which considers that lunar cycles and star positions can influence life events, personality traits and even love compatibility between people. However, there is no scientific proof that the Chinese pregnancy calendar actually works to determine the sex of the baby.
How can I tell if it's a boy or a girl according to the Chinese calendar?
According to the Chinese pregnancy calendar, the baby's sex can be predicted using a table that links the mother's age at conception and the month of conception. To know whether the baby will be a boy or a girl, you need to find the intersection of the mother's age and the month of conception .
For example, if a woman is 30 and the baby was conceived in January, the intersection of the mother's age and the month of conception on the chart indicates that the baby will be a girl. On the other hand, if the same woman conceived in February, the chart reveals that the baby will be a boy! Simplistic? Reductionist? Possibly...
It's important to remember that the accuracy of the Chinese pregnancy calendar in predicting the sex of the baby is in no way guaranteed, has no scientific proof and should not be used to "anticipate" the sex of the current baby, or to plan your family! The only reliable methods for finding out the baby's sex are ultrasound, prenatal blood tests and amniocentesis.
Is it a reliable method?
As you may have guessed from reading between the lines, the Chinese pregnancy calendar is a belief-based method, not based on any scientific evidence, but on personal convictions. It may be fun to challenge the Chinese pregnancy calendar to find out the baby's sex, but don't make it an absolute certainty! The options? Precise medical tests or enjoy the suspense until the birth...
To sum up:
How to calculate the Chinese pregnancy calendar?
The calculation of the Chinese pregnancy calendar is based on two main elements: the mother's age at conception and the month of conception. According to this calendar, each age of the mother corresponds to a row, and each month of conception corresponds to a column in a table. By cross-referencing these two pieces of information, we can predict the baby's sex.
How reliable is the Chinese pregnancy calendar?
The Chinese pregnancy calendar is a traditional method based on Chinese astrology. Although it has been popular in China for centuries, its reliability is controversial. Scientific proof of its effectiveness is lacking, and it is generally regarded as a superstition rather than a reliable method of predicting a baby's sex.
How can I tell if my baby is a boy or a girl?
To find out whether the baby will be a girl or a boy according to the Chinese calendar, you need to find the intersection between the mother's age at conception and the month of conception in the calendar table. If the result indicates "girl" at this intersection, then the birth of a girl is predicted, and vice versa for a boy.
Does the Chinese calendar change every year?
The Chinese pregnancy calendar is based on a lunar system, which means that it follows the cycle of the moon rather than the solar calendar. As a result, the months in the Chinese calendar may vary from the Gregorian calendar we commonly use. However, the basic principles of the Chinese pregnancy calendar remain the same from one year to the next, as they are based on traditional astrological calculations.
These answers are provided for information only, and it is always advisable to consult a health professional for precise medical advice concerning pregnancy and birth.
What other methods are there to find out your baby's sex?
There are several other reliable and proven methods of finding out your baby's sex, each with its own degree of accuracy.
Ultrasound is the most common and reliable method of finding out your baby's sex. During an ultrasound scan, a real-time image of the baby is generated from sound waves reflected by the body's tissues. This image enables medical professionals (gynecologists, midwives) to determine the baby's sex with great precision (except in cases where the baby is in a position where it cannot be seen!) .
Then there are prenatal blood tests, which can be carried out as early as the 10th week of pregnancy, to determine the baby's sex by analyzing the fetal DNA in the mother's blood.
And finally, amniocentesis, a rather invasive medical procedure in which a sample is taken of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus. The amniotic fluid contains fetal cells that can be used to determine the baby's sex.
