The moment a pregnancy test shows a positive result, many expecting parents can't wait to start shopping for baby clothes and decorating the nursery. No wonder there are all sorts of ways to predict your baby's sex.
One you may come across is the Ramzi theory. But is it accurate, or just an old wives’ tale like many other ways to guess whether you're having a boy or a girl?
What is the Ramzi theory?
The Ramzi theory, or Ramzi method, is based on the notion that the position of the placenta can predict your baby's sex as early as week 6 of pregnancy.
Dr. Saad Ramzi Ismail developed this theory by examining the development and location of the placenta, specifically its finger-like projections known as the chorionic villi.
He claimed his data showed that a placenta developing on the left indicated that the baby was a girl, while a placenta developing on the right meant it was a boy.[1]
When can you try the Ramzi theory to find out your baby’s sex?
You can use the Ramzi theory starting when you’re about 6 weeks pregnant, when you may have a first-trimester ultrasound.
However, if your pregnancy is considered low-risk, your practitioner may suggest waiting until your second trimester for an ultrasound, between about weeks 18 and 22, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).[2] During that anatomy scan, your provider may be able to tell you your baby's sex if you want to know.
In the meantime, plenty of people try some fun ways to guess whether they're having a boy or girl — including the Ramzi method. Pregnant moms sometimes post photos of their early ultrasounds in online groups and ask whether anyone can tell what baby's sex is based on the position of the placenta.
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"I've done the Ramzi theory, Chinese gender predictor, and the baking soda test," says What to Expect Community member kaylamamatobe. "All have come out to 'boy'! ... I'm happy either way (haha), but I do want a boy first."
Is the Ramzi theory accurate?
The results of Ramzi’s theory have not been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, confirmed by additional studies, or found to be true through small population trials. And members of the medical community — including ACOG — do not endorse this method.
It's also important to note that your baby's sex organs don't begin to develop until between around week 7 and week 12 of pregnancy. So pinpointing baby's sex around week 6, as the Ramzi method promises, would be difficult (to say the least).
Can I try the Ramzi theory to find out baby’s sex in the first trimester?
As long as your OB or midwife okays an ultrasound in your first trimester, you can certainly ask where your placenta is and try the Ramzi method to guess baby's sex. Just keep in mind that the odds it will be right are the same as plain, old chance: 50/50.
For a more accurate way to find out what you're having, you’ll need to wait a few more weeks (we know it's hard, but you can do it!).
As early as 10 weeks of pregnancy, a quick blood draw can be analyzed for common chromosomal disorders. This noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) can also reveal your baby’s sex.
If your pregnancy is lower risk, you may have to wait your second-trimester ultrasound (between weeks 18 and 22) to learn your baby's sex if you want to find out.
If you have a higher-risk pregnancy, your doctor may recommend a chorionic villus sampling (CVS), done between 10 and 13 weeks, or an amniocentesis (performed between weeks 15 and 20). Both are invasive diagnostic tests that analyze your baby’s genetic makeup, including the sex of the fetus. But since they're usually reserved for pregnancies with certain extra risk factors, your provider may not recommend them.
It's common to want to know your baby's gender ASAP. But if you decide to try the Ramzi theory, hold off on buying paint for the nursery. The Ramzi method is not proven to work, so there’s only a 50% chance the results will be accurate — the same as if you were to make your own guess.
"It was wrong for my first baby," says What to Expect Community member jrms13. "Not finding out the gender this time."
As tough as it is, it may be better to wait until a later ultrasound to confirm whether your little one is a boy or a girl. But if you want to try the Ramzi theory knowing your odds, then why not?
"I know these aren't scientific methods," explains What to Expect Community mom kaylamamatobe. "This is all for fun!"
- The Ramzi theory is a non-scientific way to predict baby's sex as early as week 6 of pregnancy based on the position of the placenta as it relates to the fetus.
- The Ramzi theory isn't endorsed by medical experts or proven in peer-reviewed journals, so the chances it will be right are about 50/50. But it can be fun to try if you want to!
- There are other, more accurate ways to predict your baby's sex, including certain types of prenatal testing and your second-trimester ultrsound.
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