If you used an OPK, did you conceive a girl or a boy?

[octmom]

A friend of mine says that she hopes to have a girl next time around and she doesn't want to use an OPK (ovulation predictor kit) when they TTC because everyone she knows who used them had boys. She used an OPK when she conceived her son. I told her that I used OPKs both times I conceived and the baby I am carrying now is a girl. She swears I am the only person she has ever heard of having a girl after using an OPK. Something to do with when the OPK lets you know you will be ovulating and the timing of it all. What's your experience been? I'm just curious.

ETA: I hope this poll allows you to vote more than once if you used OPKs to conceive more than once. It's my first poll, so I'm not positive it will do that.

ETA 2: Doesn't seem to allow that. Sorry. Please post reply if you used OPKs to conceieve more than once.

[ctmom]

I have two dd's and used an OPK both times...I think the wives tale is that male "swimmers" swim faster but female ones last longer. If you know you want a boy you should wait until you ovulate to have intercourse and if you want a girl you should have intercourse before you ovulate. Does this make sense?

[bunnisa]

>I think the wives tale is that male "swimmers" swim faster but >female ones last longer.

Actually that's true, not just a wives' tale. In fact, I read not long ago that men who have physically demanding jobs (fighter pilots, race car drivers, etc) tend to have a much higher proportion of daughters.

Bethany
mom to one and one on the way!
http://lilypie.com/days/060226/0/8/1/-6/.png
"And children are always a good thing, devoutly to be wished for and fiercely to be fought for."
-J. Torres

[octmom]

Interesting. One of my friends is married to an Air Force test pilot, who used to fly those huge planes that carry lots and lot sof cargo (C somethings?). They have two sons so far.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03
expecting #2! EDD April 1, 2006, but anticipating a C/S in March
Just found out-- IT'S A GIRL!!! :)

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[phirey]

Used temps both times, which actually show you a spike after you've ovulated, so theoretically should have two boys. I have two girls.

Regardless of whether the sperm swim fast or not, if the guy just makes more X sperm, you'll have a higher chance of getting a girl. I love to tease DH that he just makes girl sperm.

[octmom]

Need to add one to the boy tally for me, since I could only vote once and I already clicked on girl.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03
expecting #2! EDD April 1, 2006, but anticipating a C/S in March
Just found out-- IT'S A GIRL!!! :)

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[dowlinal]

If your friend's theory was right then the majority of babies conceived through artificial insemination would be boys since a lot of REs have patients use OPKs in conjunction to time the procedure.

[Rachels]

That is true. Having sex closer to ovulation gives you a higher likelihood of having a boy, while having sex a few days before and then abstaining gives you a higher likelihood of having a girl. But neither is a 100% thing. It's just a likelihood.

-Rachel
Mama to Abigail Rose
5/18/02
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amethyst_36m.gif
Nursed for three years!

and Ethan James
10/19/05
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/bf.jpg


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya

[kellyotn]

The book "Taking Charge of your Fertility" has a little chapter on it. (Great book, by the way.)

From what I remember, the male sperm swims faster, but dies sooner. So, intercourse aiming for a boy is best timed right at ovulation (and nothing for days before). The male sperm will swim faster than the girl sperm (generally) and get there before the female ones right when the egg is good.

Female sperm swims slower, but live longer so intercourse that happens a couple days before ovulation is best for trying for a girl, as some of the boy swimmers will have faded away before ovulation occurs leaving more female swimmers to do the job.

They stress that you can just **SLIGHTLY** tip your odds and that it is easier to "try" for a boy because you can better time it with boys than with girls. I think the success rate with trying for a boy was slightly higher.

My DH and I had a hilarious conversation about the male sperm going like mad and crashing & burning, while the female sperm flit about chatting for days and then "Oh my, the EGG! How fabulous!"

FWIW, my OPK experiece was a boy. My charting-only experience (when we "tried" days before and up to ovulation was a girl. shrug, so I fit their theory, but I realize its mostly chance.

[octmom]

Another friend has two sons conceived when she was on Clomid and is now expecting her third, who was a total surprise with no medical assistance. She isn't far enough along to know the gender yet, but will find out in January, I think.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03
expecting #2! EDD April 1, 2006, but anticipating a C/S in March
Just found out-- IT'S A GIRL!!! :)

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[saschalicks]

We used OPK with DS#1 and got a boy. I didn't try to get pregnant this time as matter of fact it was a BIG surprise and it's another boy. So, for me OPK or not I have boys.

[jillc]

Hi,

Just voted. We used the OPK and had a girl. :) We're trying again and using the OPK again.

Best,
Jill

[jd11365]

My good friend wanted a girl very badly. She waited until the Chinese month that said Girl, used an OPK, and did all sorts of crazy things to ensure her little pink bundle...and is having a boy.

[ellies mom]

"Oh my the EGG! How fabulous!" That is really funny.

Back to the OP though. We used an OPK also and had a girl. But we may have "cheated" a bit because we had sex the day before we got a positive as well as the two days we were "supposed" to have sex. So maybe we gave the girls their head start?

[Eloise36]

That's too funny!

I either didn't conceive or didn't have a successful pregnancy when I used OPKs. Both pregnancies were "oopsies" so I couldn't respond to the poll :)

[octmom]

Too funny. That thing actually has been right for me both times. Kind of fun to play with.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03
expecting #2! EDD April 1, 2006, but anticipating a C/S in March
Just found out-- IT'S A GIRL!!! :)

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[phirey]

You know, I've had a ton of people tell me it works. But if you do a google search, you can come up with any number of different chinese gender charts, with different results.