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AIBU?

AIBU to think that most babies born to older Mum's are boys?

103 replies

SleepFreeZone · 26/09/2017 13:27

In my own experience and just out and about at preschool and primary it seems that the older mum's predominantly have boys. Does anyone else think the same or do you think it just feels that way as I am old, have two boys and have lost two girls in pregnancy due to abnormalities?

OP posts:
Standingcat · 26/09/2017 13:29

No in my group of older mums we all have DD's

wasonthelist · 26/09/2017 13:29

Our DD (first and only child) was born 3 days short of her Mum's 40th. So anecdotally based on a tiny sample size yabu

MaisieDotes · 26/09/2017 13:30

That reflects my own situation actually as I had DD at 25 and then the DSs at 38 & 39.

But it can't be a "thing"- surely?

WeddingFever · 26/09/2017 13:30

As the sperm determines the gender, how do you rationalise this observation?

fuckfuckfuckkkk · 26/09/2017 13:30

Nope my mum had my little sister at 41

Rosa · 26/09/2017 13:30

well you would be wrong here ....

Haudyerwheesht · 26/09/2017 13:31

Anecdotally from my small sample group most of ds (10) friends mums are older than me (35) whereas most of dd's (7) friends mums are significantly younger. However, I think it's very much just coincidence! My sister had 2 girls at 40 and 41. Another friend had a boy at 42, another had 2 boys and a girl at 39,40 and 42 and my mum had me at 41 and her mum had her and 46!

thecatsthecats · 26/09/2017 13:32

My mum had a son at 28, daughter 30, then two more daughters 40/42.

Sex is actually determined by the sperm, so unless wombs are rejecting female offspring, you're looking at the wrong side of it...

strangestdirection · 26/09/2017 13:34

I thought it was the opposite but with the sperm- the older a man the more likely he is to have daughters? www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/201104/why-are-older-parents-more-likely-have-daughters%3famp

Haudyerwheesht · 26/09/2017 13:35

Actually this suggests that you're slightly more likely to have girls as you age.

ParsnipLeekAndLemonSoup · 26/09/2017 13:36

Are they?! Most of the older mums I know have got girls.

I am a young mum and have a boy.

SleepFreeZone · 26/09/2017 13:37

But surely as the sperm and egg divide into cells and a baby starts to be made the chromosome issue (in my case) could be made by either the sperm or the egg as the two become one?

From doing some research the trisomy 18 abnormality that I recently had is much more common with girls. I'm not sure about trisomy 21 🤔 So it stands to reason that as an older woman TTC I am more likely to miscarry a girl and carry a boy, no?

OP posts:
RavingRoo · 26/09/2017 13:37

Older men’s sperm doesn’t live very long according to the ivf specialist I saw and so might favour a boy as the sperm that makes boys tend to move faster. But he said not to pin our hopes on any one gender as there’s no scientific evidence.

BenLui · 26/09/2017 13:37

You are wrong. The male parent determines the sex of the baby, not the female.

RavingRoo · 26/09/2017 13:40

Trisomy 18 can be caused by damaged egg or damaged sperm.

SleepFreeZone · 26/09/2017 13:41

That's interesting RavingRoo I always assumed it was my eggs at fault.

OP posts:
RavingRoo · 26/09/2017 13:44

Read this. It’s fairly straight forward

www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=trisomy-18-and-13-90-P02419

zzzzz · 26/09/2017 13:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Londoncheapo · 26/09/2017 13:48

The sperm determines the sex in the simplest sense, but factors such as the pH of the woman's cervical mucus tend to influence which sex sperms are more likely to get through. The pH in turn is influenced by age and psychological factors.

Being younger, being in a happy state of mind, eating plenty of calories and protein increase the odds of a boy.

Being older, being depressed/anxious, eating a less rich diet increase the odds of a girl.

HeteronormativeHaybales · 26/09/2017 13:53

I had boys at 28 and 30 and a girl at 38.

MinorRSole · 26/09/2017 13:55

I had b/g twins at an older age, I'll just sit on the fence which will probably break under my lard arse

cjt110 · 26/09/2017 14:00

I was 27 when I had my son. All my friends have girls....

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SleepFreeZone · 26/09/2017 14:00

zzzzzz in my head I guess I'm thinking 38 upwards

OP posts:
Tomorrowillbeachicken · 26/09/2017 14:01

all my older mum friends have girls, i'm only one with a boy.

LittleRen · 26/09/2017 14:02

Not in my case... 2 boys and 1 on the way, I am 32. All of my friends apart from one are younger than 32 and have boys too. I did think I was a fairly young Mum but maybe I am not!! Husband just turned 40 if that makes a difference..

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