You may have heard that certain sex positions can help you conceive a girl. The key is shallow penetration. This is why sex in the missionary position and doggy style (on all fours with penetration from behind) may be better for girls.
You can also try tracking your ovulation with gender prediction calendars. And of course, make sure you’re getting enough folic acid.
Face-to-Face
The number of couples trying to conceive a baby girl has skyrocketed in recent years – This quote was taken from the website eurolivesexe.com. While ovulation predictor kits, fertility trackers and even in vitro fertilization are all great tools for getting pregnant, good old-fashioned sex may also help. And according to a love and sex therapist, there’s one position that could boost the chances of having a baby girl.
The missionary or face-to-face position is believed to increase the odds of a baby girl because it allows for shallow penetration and keeps male sperm away from the egg. This position also makes it easier for female sperm to survive in the acidic environment of your vagina, says Rybchin.
Another position that increases the likelihood of a baby girl is spooning, which involves your man penetrating you from behind instead of in front. This position, along with the doggie style, which has your partner enter you as if you’re resting on all fours, may be helpful in boosting conception rates because it gives the female sperm an advantage over speedy male sperm, she adds.
Although it’s not scientifically proven, some women swear by lying down after sex to keep semen in the body longer. However, it’s important to remember that only about 400 sperm need to reach the egg for fertilization, and allowing a few million more sperm to escape from your body isn’t going to make much of a difference.
Side-to-Side
There are plenty of rumors about sex positions that help you conceive a girl—but most are not backed by medical evidence. Despite this, experts do say that sex before and during the most fertile time in your menstrual cycle is an important factor. They also note that a consistent routine can increase your chances of getting pregnant.
One sex position to try for a girl is the missionary position, in which the woman lies on her stomach and the man stands behind, facing her. During this sexual position, sperm can easily dip into the cervical semen pool and access the protective cervical mucus. This makes it easier for female sperm to swim upstream and reach the egg, Shettles says.
A twist on the missionary position is a sphinx position, in which the woman splays her legs and the man straddles them. During this sexual position, the woman can orgasm by rocking her pelvis, Landry says. This position also allows deep penetration.
Another sex position that can help you conceive a girl is rear entry. This involves your partner entering from your stomach and pulling your legs around their thighs. This athletic sexual position can help your partner orgasm and allows for deep penetration.
Back-to-Back
Though there’s no scientific evidence that certain sex positions are better for conception, some couples anecdotally report success with back-to-back positions. This position involves lying on your back while the man sits behind you and penetrates you from the rear. This allows for deep penetration and may give sperm better access to the cervix, which helps with pregnancy. Propping a pillow under the woman’s hips during this position can help raise her pelvis, giving sperm an even more favorable angle of approach.
Missionary position, in which the man is on top and the woman is on bottom, can also help sperm reach the cervix more easily. And a variation on this position known as “doggie style,” in which the man enters the woman while she’s on all fours and spoons her from the rear, can enhance fertility by increasing the depth of penetration.
The wheelbarrow position, in which the woman lies on her side while her partner lifts her legs up and down like a wheel burrow, is another way to deepen penetration and increase fertility. However, this is not recommended if the woman is pregnant or breastfeeding.
All-Fours
When trying to conceive a girl, some couples believe that the position in which they have sex can affect whether their baby is a girl or a boy. While there is a bit of truth to the gender preference sex position theory, there’s no actual scientific proof that certain positions can influence a woman’s chances of having a girl.
One of the oldest gender preference sex position theories dates back to 1960 and is known as the Shettles Method. Shettles suggested that in sex positions where penetration isn’t deep, female sperm have a better chance of reaching and fertilizing an egg than male sperm.
Some of the sex positions considered to be “girl-friendly” are the missionary position and the doggie style, where a man enters a woman while she’s on all fours. These positions increase the odds of conception because sperm are deposited closer to the cervix in the upper part of the vagina.
However, while some experts argue that these sex positions may be beneficial for a woman wanting a girl, most doctors don’t support the idea of changing sexual position to achieve a desired outcome. Instead, gynecologists recommend being mindful of the menstrual cycle and avoiding sex right before ovulation. This will help prevent pregnancy and reduce the number of sperms that reach the egg.