Old Wives' Tales Gender Predictor
Answer as many or as few as you like — the tally updates as you go. Pure fun, no science!
Answer below to see the tally move
How are you carrying?
Look at where the bump sits when you stand.
What are you craving most?
Your dominant craving, not just an occasional one.
How bad is your morning sickness?
Think about the first trimester especially.
What is baby's heart rate?
Check your last scan or midwife notes.
How has your skin been?
Compare to your pre-pregnancy baseline.
How is your hair?
Changes in thickness or growth speed.
What shape is your bump?
View yourself from the side in a mirror.
How are your feet in the cold?
Are your feet noticeably colder than before pregnancy?
Which way do you sleep?
Which direction do you naturally turn to?
How has your mood been?
Overall compared to before pregnancy.
Do you have a linea nigra (dark belly line)?
The dark vertical line that can appear on the bump.
Have you had more headaches than usual?
Excluding dehydration-related ones.
These are traditional sayings passed down through generations — not medical science. The only accurate way to find out is an ultrasound or genetic test.
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Answer 12 classic old wives' tales — from how you're carrying and your food cravings to morning sickness, heart rate, skin changes, and more — and get a fun tally of how many signs point to boy or girl. These folk signs have been passed down through generations, though none have any scientific backing. Think of it as a fun pregnancy tradition.
Frequently asked questions
Are old wives' tales for gender accurate?
Old wives' tales for predicting baby's sex have no scientific basis. Each individual sign has roughly a 50% chance of being correct by chance alone. They are a beloved pregnancy tradition but should not be taken as a reliable prediction. An anatomy scan at around 20 weeks is the only reliable way to find out.
What are the most famous old wives' tales for predicting gender?
Popular signs include: carrying high (girl) or low (boy), craving sweet foods (girl) or salty and savoury foods (boy), severe morning sickness (girl), baby's heart rate above 140 bpm (girl), glowing skin (boy) versus breakouts (girl), and the ring test swinging in circles (girl) or back and forth (boy).
How many old wives' tales predict correctly?
Studies have found that old wives' tales perform no better than random chance when tested scientifically. In any group of signs, you would expect roughly half to be correct by chance. They are best enjoyed as a fun pregnancy game.
Which old wives' tale is the most accurate?
None has been proven more accurate than others. The fetal heart rate sign (above or below 140 bpm) is one of the most widely cited, but research has not found it to reliably predict sex either. Enjoy them all as fun folklore, not science.