Parents do not get to choose whether their baby is a boy or girl. Nearly everyone has a 50% chance of getting either a boy or girl. However, some may be wondering which parent is responsible for giving a baby his or her specific sex.
Does the Mother of Father Determine a Baby's Sex?
The answer to this can be found in the world of chromosomes. The eggs of females are only capable of transferring X chromosomes, while the male's sperm cells may transfer both X and Y ones. With this, the father determines a child's sex, as the sperm could transfer either the X or Y chromosome.
Various genes could determine if the sperm of a man has more X or Y chromosomes. This ultimately determines the baby's sex.
When Is Sex Determined?
A baby's sex is determined the very time the sperm fertilizes the egg. If an X chromosome sperm enters the female egg, the baby will be a female. If a Y chromosomal sperm meets the egg, the baby will be a male.
When the first sperm goes into the egg, the egg's membrane undergoes changes in order to stop future sperm penetration.
Though gender determination happens this early, parents need to wait for weeks to discover their baby's gender. This can be as early as six weeks of pregnancy.
What Are Chromosomes?
A chromosome is a type of thread-like structure that carries genes, which determine a person's different traits. These come in different sizes. Human chromosomes can be found inside a cell's nucleus.
Usually, the chromosome count within each cell of the body is 46. These chromosomes come in pairs, amounting to 23 pairs in total. Half of these chromosomes are inherited from one's biological mother, while the other half is taken from one's biological father.
These chromosomal pairs have been numbered by scientists into 22. The 23rd pair has been labeled either X or Y. This largely depends on their structure.
The 22 pairs are known as autosomes, while the last 23rd pair is referred to as the sex chromosomes. These sex chromosomes determine if a person is born as a male or female.
Two X chromosomes are present among females, while males have one X and one Y chromosome. The typical karyotype of a female is written 46, XX, while its normal male counterpart is 46, XY.
Read also: Beyond Determining Sex: Chromosomes Found To Play Crucial Role in Gene Regulation, Study Reveals
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