One of the most exciting parts of pregnancy is learning whether you’re having a boy or a girl. It makes everything feel more real. You can pick a name, plan the nursery, and daydream about the little one growing inside you.

There are several ways to find out your baby’s gender, from fun old wives’ tales and the Chinese Gender Calendar to advanced DNA testing. If you’re ready for answers (or just want to explore your options), here’s a breakdown of the most popular gender tests and when they work best.

Gender Test Options to Find Out Your Baby’s Sex

From ultrasounds to DNA screenings and at-home kits, these are the most common ways expecting parents learn the gender of their baby.

Ultrasound

While several ultrasounds occur during your pregnancy to check the fetus’s growth and ensure things are running smoothly, you can find out your baby’s gender in the second trimester, usually during your 20-week anatomy scan, when you can see details of your baby’s anatomy.⁴

However, the accuracy of the discovery increases the longer you wait to find out. According to WebMD, the accuracy can vary from 70.3% at 11 weeks to 98.7% at 12 weeks and 100% at 13 weeks.⁵

However, if you decide to try at about 12 weeks, there’s something called the “nub theory.” ⁶ A nub, called the genital tubercle, grows between your baby’s legs around 11 to 13 weeks. If the nub is pointing toward the baby’s head, it indicates a boy. If it remains flat or points down, it’s a girl.

Prenatal Genetic Testing

This test is done primarily to rule out certain genetic diseases, whether a baby is at risk of having Down syndrome or has extra sequences of certain chromosomes.^1,2 A prenatal cell-free DNA screening, or cfDNA, is a blood test that looks at the fetus’ DNA in the mother’s bloodstream. Some forms of this type of screening can also provide information about your baby’s gender.

At one time, amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling would allow you to determine the baby’s gender. However, these tests were incredibly invasive, and the Centers for Disease Control issued a report in the 1990s that linked these tests to possible birth defects.⁷

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)

I had this test done, but it, unfortunately, can be quite cost-prohibitive. Insurance may cover it if you’re a high-risk pregnant person like me. Like amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, this test checks for genetic issues. These include chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome or clinical implications such as a nonviable pregnancy or a newborn with a life-limiting condition.³ NIPT is done with a blood test, which can determine the sex of your baby as early as 10 weeks. It extracts fragments of the baby’s DNA circulating in the pregnant person’s blood. These fragments (XX or XY chromosomes) determine the gender.

At-Home Testing

If you’re the adventurous type and knowing the gender early is more for entertainment, you could try one of the many at-home testing kits on the market. You order a kit from a company and follow the instructions to collect your sample and mail it to the company’s lab. Your report and sample analysis will often come back within days, either by email or SMS.

Some of the more popular ones you’ll find online include:

• SneakPeek: They claim you can test at six weeks with 99.9% accuracy.⁸ However, you need to follow the directions perfectly and know a few people who have gotten the wrong result
• Peekaboo Early Detection Gender DNA test: They claim you can test at seven weeks with 99.5% accuracy
• Gender Predictor: They claim you can test at five weeks, but say the test is for entertainment only and does not guarantee their results. You can purchase it on Amazon here.

Birth

If you have the patience of a saint or love a surprise, waiting to find out the gender until your baby is born may be right for you. I couldn’t do it with my type-A planner personality. However, I know a few moms who found out once they were born, making the day much more special. What a surprise to an already incredibly exciting and life-changing day.

No matter how you choose to learn your baby’s gender, it can be a fun and exciting time. Now go and buy all the pink butt thermometers or blue bottle sterilizers. Or start thinking about baby names and go the gender-neutral name route. Your pregnancy, your baby. Have fun and good luck!