Shettles?
Over the last twenty-five years, thousands of couples have turned to the non-invasive Shettles method for choosing the sex of their babies. And thousands have been blessed with the boy or girl they hoped for. In fact, the properly applied Shettles method gives couples at least a 75 percent success rate. Some researchers have reported success rates up to 90 percent!
The Shettles' Theory Explained In A Nutshell
It is the sperm that fertilizes the egg that will determine the sex of your baby.
No one can deny that there are two types of sperm:
X (which comes from the mother) and Y (which comes from the father.)
If the X sperm reaches and fertilizes the egg first, the couple will have a baby girl.
If the Y sperm gets to and fertilizes the egg first, then the couple would conceive a baby boy.
The basis of Shettles' theory is that the X and Y sperm have inherent differences.
The girl sperm (X) are said to be slower, but much stronger, and able to survive in a hostile vaginal environment for up to four days without weakening and dying off.
The boy (Y) sperm on the other hand are said to be very fast moving, but to balance out nature, they are also much weaker - dying off pretty rapidly in the vaginal tract.
According to Shettles, with a bit of planning and calculation, you can time intercourse, choose a sexual position that favours conception of your preferred sex and influence the reproductive environment to increase the likelihood of conceiving your preferred sex.
These are the suggestions from Dr. Shettles:.
To Conceive a Boy:
If the boy sperm are faster but have a shorter life span, then the Shettles objective is to time lovemaking in nearest proximity to ovulation - right before ovulation takes place or the day you ovulate.
The concept here is that Y-chromosome sperm will swim quicker than the X-chromosome and more of the Ys will reach the egg sooner. Therefore, the chances of having a boy are increased.
Remember, the egg can survive for only 24 hours following ovulation. Only one sperm can fertilize the egg (out of the millions who start the journey), so timing intercourse close to ovulation would favor quicker Y-chromosome sperm, even if their lifespan is short.
Shettles advises that to increase the odds of having a boy, do not have intercourse during your "transitional" fertile days four to five days before you ovulate. Rather, time lovemaking directly prior to and during ovulation.
The Shettles Method also suggests deep penetration in order to get the sperm closer to the cervical canal, closer to the egg, and more likely closer to the abundant cervical mucus that should be present during your most fertile days.
As for sexual position, Shettles recommends rear entry or "doggy style" for deepest penetration.
According to Shettles, women should try to have an orgasm at the same time as the man; purportedly, orgasms increase endocervical secretion and increase the alkaline level of the vagina.
Men should avoid wearing tight cloths and hot showers, etc, prior to intercourse as heat will more likely weed out the Y-sperm than the X-sperm.
These factors should:
1) decrease the travel distance of sperm
2) provide a more alkaline pH environment in the vagina (due to presence of cervical mucus)
3) get male sperm to the egg quicker
4) promote environments conducive to male sperm survival.
To Conceive a Girl:
Instead of timing intercourse directly prior/during ovulation, make love during the transitional days and two to three days before you ovulate.
Try to avoid sex when your cervical mucus is most fertile (when you have egg-white cervical fluids).
Shettles suggests that women avoid having an orgasm and recommends shallow penetration to make it more difficult for the male sperm to make the big journey. Hence, missionary position is advised, or any shallow-penetration strategy that deposits sperm further from the entrance to the cervix.
The principle here is that these integrated methods will favor the slower, more resilient sperm. Female X-chromosome sperm can endure a more acidic environment, live longer, and swim further than their male counterparts.
The Conclusion?
Dr. Shettles did numerous studies himself and not surprinsingly they were always positive. Though the majority of scientists have not been able to replicate his supposed success in sex selection. One complaint that many families have about the method is that the guidelines are strict and difficult to follow, particularly the abstinence of sexual intercourse and orgasm at various points.
In the end you have to remember that there are only a few ways to nearly guarantee the sex of your baby and they involve a lot of scientific tinkering with your body and the whole conception process. There is not any easy method of sex selection that can be done at home. Most couples I have interviewed who choose to do at home methods say they went into this with the mindset that they were tipping the scales in their favor in one direction or the other. Some were very disappointed, while others were thrilled.
