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Ask A Childbirth Educator
Questions and Answer

Q. Who determines the sex of a child. is it the females eggs? Or the males sperm?

A. The male's sperm determines the sex of the child.

Girls are XX and boys are XY.

Eggs are always X chromosomes, sperm can be either X or Y chromosomes.

X sperm make girls (X+X=XX) and Y sperm makes boys (X+Y=XY).

Karen Klimsak-Ungar, CCE has been a certified childbirth educator for Birth Works® since 1996. She is currently Managing Editor for the Birth Works newsletter, sits on the Birth Works Board of Directors, and serves on their National Trainee Review Committee. A happily married mother of two, she also continues to teach Birth Works classes as well as private classes.

Karen will answer your questions on fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and babies. Her advice does not take the place of your practitioner. Personal answers will not always be possible.