Diet choices to select the baby's gender

 The theory that what a woman eats before getting pregnant can “choose” the sex of her baby has similar foundations to the Shettles method. It hypothesizes that diet can change the acidity of the female reproductive system, and therefore “select” for a sperm carrying an X or Y chromosome.

The types of foods advised to influence the baby's sex include:

To conceive a girl, reduce salt intake. Eat foods high in calcium and magnesium (like dairy products and spinach). Eat food believed to “acidify” the body, such as seafood, meat, olives, vinegar, mustard, and grains. 

To conceive a boy, eat high-potassium foods like bananas, white beans, salmon, avocados, almonds, apples, and mushrooms. Increase foods believed to “alkalize” the body, such as citrus fruits, root vegetables, and nuts. Reduce dairy intake.

Does this really work? One very small study found that, in conjunction with intercourse timing, a diet higher in magnesium and calcium and low in potassium resulted in a higher percentage of female babies (16 of 21 pregnancies were XX pregnancies).

But again, these theories are based on the idea that X-chromosome-carrying sperm and Y-chromosome-carrying sperm are inherently different or thrive in different environments, which isn’t really supported by modern evidence.

The most important diet choices when trying to conceive — for both partners — are nutritious foods that support healthy sperm and a healthy pregnancy. See the 6 things all couples should do before trying to conceive and 6 superfoods for sperm health.