Most people think it's a 50/50 game of chance.
But a massive study tracking over 146,000 pregnancies may finally give us scientific clues as to whether your next child is more likely to be a boy or a girl.
It all comes down to two unexpected factors.
Family history of gender plays a role
Researchers discovered that families with multiple children of the same gender are statistically more likely to continue that pattern.
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It’s not just coincidence, the numbers show a real trend.
Three boys? Expect another one
If a family already has three boys, there's a 61 % chance the next child will also be a boy.
That’s far beyond random probability and indicates a strong gender tendency within families.
Three girls? The pattern continues
Similarly, families with three girls have a 58 % chance of having another girl.
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These findings suggest that family gender streaks aren't just myths, they might be biologically driven.
A mother’s age matters more than you think
The study also found a surprising link between a mother’s age at the birth of her first child and the gender pattern of her future children.
Older mothers are more likely to have children of the same sex.
Over 28? You’re more likely to have all boys or all girls
Women who were over 28 when they gave birth to their first child had a 13 % higher chance of having children of the same gender, compared to women younger than 23 at the time of their first birth.
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Younger mothers tend to have gender variety
On the other hand, younger women were more likely to have a mix of boys and girls. This shows that age may play a regulatory role in gender variation among siblings.
Say goodbye to myths
This study busts common myths like timing intercourse or certain positions to influence a baby’s gender.
Instead, your biology, and especially your age and previous children’s genders, seems to have a real effect.
Nearly 60 years of data back the findings
The researchers analyzed 146,064 pregnancies from 1956 to 2015.
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That massive dataset gives the study strong credibility and allows for deep, reliable insights into gender trends across generations.
Opens doors to further scientific research
The team behind the study hopes these findings will lead to more in-depth research exploring the genetics, biology, and social factors that may influence child gender.
It’s not luck, it’s probability
While you can’t predict your baby’s gender with absolute certainty, these findings show that statistical patterns and biological factors play a bigger role than previously thought.
This article is based on information from Illustreret Videnskab.