The baking soda gender test relies on the acidity of a pregnant person’s urine to predict the sex of a baby before birth. However, there is no current scientific proof that this method is accurate.
Although sex and gender interact, they are different things. A person’s sex refers to their biological and genetic makeup at birth. Gender is a social construct that may vary among societies and change for a person over time.
People may use methods such as the baking soda test to try to learn a baby’s sex before birth. However, scientific research has not currently proven that this test is accurate or that a fetus’s sex alters the acidity of a pregnant person’s urine.
People may not want to rely on the results of the baking soda test, but there is also no harm in trying it. They can also consider other conclusive ways to determine the sex of an unborn baby.
The baking soda test is an at-home method that combines a pregnant person’s urine with baking soda to see if there is a reaction. The sex supposedly relates to whether or not baking soda makes the urine fizz.
Despite its name, the baking soda gender test actually looks to determine a fetus’s sex, not its gender. Sex refers to a person’s genetic and biological makeup, whereas gender
There is some science behind the test. Baking soda reacts with acids, causing some to fizz and bubble. The theory behind the test is that the acidity, or pH, of a pregnant person’s urine will change due to the sex of the fetus.
However, there is no proof that the sex of an unborn baby has any effect on the pH of a pregnant person’s urine. Also, other factors can make a person’s urine more or less acidic.
Someone who wants to try the baking soda test must collect the pregnant person’s urine in a clean container the first time they use the bathroom in the morning.
This first morning urine is necessary for the test because drinking fluids throughout the day may dilute a person’s urine.
People can use the following steps to carry out the baking soda test:
- wash the hands thoroughly and get the clean container ready
- the pregnant person should squat over the toilet and hold the container underneath them
- release a small amount of urine into the container
- add an equal amount of baking soda to the urine in the container
After adding the baking soda, people can look for a fizzing reaction.
After adding baking soda to urine, one of two things will happen: the urine will either stay the same or fizz.
If people see a visible reaction, folklore suggests the pregnant person has a male fetus. If the urine remains the same, it suggests the person has a female fetus.
No current scientific research supports the accuracy of the baking soda test to predict a baby’s sex.
Various factors can affect the pH of a person’s urine, including the following:
| High pH | Low pH |
|---|---|
| kidney failure | diabetes mellitus |
| urinary tract infections | nephritis, which involves chronic inflammation of the kidneys |
| renal tubular acidosis, which occurs when the kidneys do not remove acids from a person’s blood into their urine | dietary factors, such as a high protein diet or a vitamin C deficiency |
The above list is not exhaustive, and many other factors may affect the acidity of a person’s urine during pregnancy.
Because so many variables affect urine pH levels, a person may get different results on different days if they take the baking soda test more than once.
If pregnant people want to find out the sex of their baby before birth, the following methods are more reliable than a baking soda test.
Ultrasound
When an anatomy ultrasound is done around 20 weeks of pregnancy, a doctor or ultrasound technician can usually see all of the baby’s anatomy, including their genitals.
However, getting a good image may be difficult if the fetus is in an unusual position.
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According to the review, ultrasound can determine a fetus’s sex with 87% accuracy in the first trimester and 99% accuracy in the second trimester.
DNA Test
Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) involves blood tests to screen for certain chromosome-related health conditions that may affect a fetus. NIPT can also detect the sex of a fetus.
These blood tests work by looking for the presence of a Y chromosome. Two X chromosomes indicate female sex, whereas the presence of a Y chromosome indicates male sex.
Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis involves
The needle collects a small sample of the amniotic fluid to send to a laboratory for analysis. The fetus sheds cells into the amniotic fluid, allowing doctors to detect genetic problems.
Healthcare professionals may reserve this test for medical reasons. Finding out the baby’s sex is not a primary reason to do this test, as it has risks for the parent and the baby.
Chorionic villus sampling
Chorionic villus sampling is a test that determines if the baby is at risk of a congenital condition, such as Down syndrome.
Similarly to amniocentesis, this test is invasive and has some risks, so may only occur for medical reasons. However, it can still determine the baby’s sex.
During the test, a doctor inserts a syringe into the uterus through the vagina and cervix. Occasionally, this is done through a person’s abdomen to collect a tissue sample, known as villi, in the placenta.
This tissue is full of genetic information about the fetus, including information about its sex and certain genetic disorders.
The baking soda gender test uses the acidity of a pregnant person’s urine to predict the sex of their fetus.
No scientific research supports this method as a reliable way to determine the sex of an unborn baby. People can still try it at home, but they may not want to rely on the results.
There are many reliable ways to determine an unborn baby’s sex, including ultrasounds and blood tests. People can speak with a healthcare professional for more information about finding out the sex of a fetus.