# Do some men only make one gender?



## tinkerbelle93

I ask this because in my OH's family, on his dad's side, all the men seem to mainly make boys. When I was pregnant everyone said it'd be a boy because of that and they were right! 

Is this merely coincidental or do some men generally produce more of one type of sperm? And is this a genetic trait that can be passed down? It just seems odd when you see huge families that are one gender only, makes you think there must be _something_ more than chance? xx


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## Visje

I've wondered this too. It could be genetics, but also some families share eating habits. For example, my father-in-law will only eat dinner involving a piece of red meat, potatoes, and sometimes a vegetable, very healthy I know. My brother-in-law is also a big carnivore, as is his wife. My husband is vegetarian, but loves his salty food and tomatoes, which are also rich in potassium, and a lot of the veggie meals that we eat together are very sodium and potassium rich, lots of tomatoes, canned legumes, added salt to meals(a bad habit I picked up from him), which I only thought about in hindsight of course!

As for my husband's family, he only has one brother, who has one son. We're expecting a boy. And this does make me hope that we're capable of making just one girl in the future! Though his aunt on his mother's side had all boys, out of them, one boy has a daughter and a son, the other has 2 daughters. So maybe there's hope.

I have a brother and a sister. My sister never had children, my brother had 3 daughters and 1 son.


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## Pearls18

I don't know the science and all that stuff but I personally doubt every man makes exactly 50/50 male/female sperm, I mean I'm not saying they will always have a "preference" for making one gender but surely sometimes they will just make more of another? My DH has 2 brothers and then a younger sister last (so 3 boys 1 girl) we have just found out we're having our second boy, despite undeliberately DTD days before ovulation (I mean undeliberately in that we weren't swaying, not that we didn't mean to have sex haha) I just _feel_ like DH makes boys, and puts me off trying again (if we were only trying for a girl, which for us wouldn't be a good reason to try anyway).


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## motherofboys

Apparently its to do with how the sperm is made that they make equal numbers of male and female sperm. That being said in my husbands family there is one man in each generation for as far back as we know that has all boys. We are on baby boy number 4. His grandad was one of 6 boys, he had 3 boys and one of those had 3 boys. But the funny thing is out of 18 great grandchild there are only 5 boys to carry the family name, 4 of them being ours. All DHs male cousins have girls! DHs brother has a girl and a boy, and we have all boys. His female cousins have a mix.


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## MrsClark24

My DH has two girls from a precious relationship and we also had a girl. I'm starting to think that he can only make girls... :-(

I'm stalking this thread because I don't know if there is any science behind it!


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## hylokitty321

I'm begining to think this too...

My aunt (dads sister) has 3 sons and 4 daughters
1st son... has 4 boys (one set of twin boys) and no girls
2nd son has 3 boys (plus had another one that his wife miscarried)
3rd son has one boy so far

1st daughter - boy, girl girl
2nd daughter - boy boy girl girl
3rd daughter - no kids - infertile 
4th daughter - 3 sons

They have 8 grandsons from their sons
And 6 from their daughter.. So 14 grandsons and 4 granddaughters 

my girl cousins always make comments like.. Oh you know us.. we only have boys... And they are so proud of it..


because my dads kids 
First son (my brother) has one daughter
daughter (my sister) has one daughter and is 10 weeks pregnant
Daughter (me) have one daughter and I'm pregnant with #2 and really hoping for a boy
4th daughter - my younger sis is not married yet 

So ya they keep making comments on how they only have boys ..
my dad wants a grandson so I really hope so !


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## Tasha

My husband's family is said to 'only make boys', my MIL sort of bet that our first and second would be boys, she was right with the first but we've gone on to have four girls after our son.


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## WantingABubba

It's funny because it's mostly girls on my maternal side and mostly boys on my paternal! 

I want a little boy :) x


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## tinkerbelle93

My OH is his dad's only child, his dad only had brothers and _his_ dad only had brothers too! And me and my OH so far have a son. 
Surely there is some sort of scientific explanation for that? And if it is a lot down to diet then surely couples who sway need to be more focussed on the man making changes etc. 

On the other hand, my OH's maternal grandfather made 5 girls and 1 boy. But I'm guessing my OH wouldn't take after him because that trait (if it is genetic) wouldn't have been able to pass down to him via his mother because she's female? 

It really does interest me but nobody seems to know for definite lol! xx


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## Visje

I checked, as I knew my father-in-law came from a huge family. And it turns out he's one of 11 boys and 2 girls!

I have heard of studies where they compared sperm samples of men who had all boys and all girls, and the X/Y ratio was 50/50. My guess is that it could have something to do with the Ph of the semen, which could be genetic.


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## jessthemess

So funny to find this! My husband and I think we'll have all boys based on this.

My husband is from all boys. His brother has one son.
His dad was from all boys. His uncle had no biological children.
His grandfather was the youngest of seven boys. And get this, of those seven boys, there were over twenty grandbabies, only one had a daughter. 

A single girl. In four generations. Like just about 30 boys to 1 girl in his family.

Crazy.

My family is varied and people tend to have more girls than boys. So hopefully I can get at least a girl in there somewhere lol


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## tinkerbelle93

jessthemess said:


> So funny to find this! My husband and I think we'll have all boys based on this.
> 
> My husband is from all boys. His brother has one son.
> His dad was from all boys. His uncle had no biological children.
> His grandfather was the youngest of seven boys. And get this, of those seven boys, there were over twenty grandbabies, only one had a daughter.
> 
> A single girl. In four generations. Like just about 30 boys to 1 girl in his family.
> 
> Crazy.
> 
> My family is varied and people tend to have more girls than boys. So hopefully I can get at least a girl in there somewhere lol

Yes exactly! Surely that's not just chance, there MUST be something to explain that! My family is also varied but it's down to the man as he's providing the sperm isn't it? :( xx


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## motherofboys

A slightly higher ratio of boys to girls is born every year. Its tiny like 1 or 2% more boys. But this means with each baby the chance of a boy is slightly higher. Those who have girls, every time they have a baby, the chance of having a boy next is increased. Those of us with boys, the chance of having a girl decreases. Its not by a lot but for example with DS1 my chance of a girl was 49%, with this on (number 4) my chance of a girl was 47% so only a very small percentage. 
With swaying its a lot to do with the environment the woman creates with in her body. She can alter her PH so that its more favourable for male or female sperm so one has a better chance of surviving and meeting the egg.
Also they say the way we eat has a basis going back to times when we would have famines and wars. Girl babies had a better chance of survival, boy babies are weaker (ironic as men always claim to be so much stronger LOL) So when times were hard, there was not a lot of food and the body would alter and be in favour of girl sperm and a lot of girls would be born, when times were better and food intake increased (along with those food types changing) it would tell the body that times are good, boys had a better chance at survival and boys would be born. 
This is apparently still seen in third world countries according to the article I read on it, there is a much higher percentage of girls born in those countries.
Looking at my diet and general life style I can see that my life is one BIG boy sway. 
There are also things like your own body type which can give clues (I read this on the gender dreaming site) my body type and little things about my body MAY indicate that I have a very slightly high level of testosterone in my body (though its hard to say for sure as they don't know what the average is) but little clues would suggest that. 

In my maternal side girls have always been born first, girls have dominated (going back to my great grand mother, and my great great grandmother they both had 1 brother each and 6 or 7 sisters) My Nan was the eldest of 2, she had a brother, their Dad was then killed in the war and their Mum never remarried. My Nan had 1 daughter and I was the first born grandchild. My Mum then had twin boys, my Dad remarried and had another boy. My Dad was adopted so we can't know his family pattern. But as you see he has 1 girl and 3 boys. 

The thing is we can't know 100% if swaying does work, yes some people sway and they get the gender they wanted, but it could be a coincidence because there are those that sway and don't get what they wanted.

They say its scientifically based that men produce equal numbers of sperm, and also that the way it is produced means that you can't have one gender be faulty and the other healthy to explain it. I don't know though. I know a lady on the due in october thread on gender dreaming is on her 7th boy! And there are a LOT of us on our 4th.

I did plan on swaying next time, but number 5 is looking less likely now, and I think it wouldn't help any desire I felt, it would just get my hopes up even more. This baby took long enough to make and I'm now just grateful his on his way at all. I think at the end of it all you will get what you are given and what you are meant to have whatever you do. I read so many stories of those who said "no more babies" after their sway failed or failed twice and then had a surprise pregnancy and got a girl while doing everything 'wrong' (in swaying terms)


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## maybebaby3

Yep I think so. We will have 3 boys and 1 girl with this one. DH jokes that Erin is a one hit wonder :haha: my friend is also on her 4th-all boys and another on her 3rd-all girls


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## _jellybean_

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211121835.htm

Article about this.


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## oceania

Edited.


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## tinkerbelle93

_jellybean_ said:


> https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211121835.htm
> 
> Article about this.

Wow that's interesting so not all men produce equal amounts according to this? I found the article a bit confusing (all those facts on genes and things was hard to keep up with!) but what it's saying is that the gene can also be passed on from either parent to the man? xx


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## Platinumvague

Kind of off topic but I read they are starting to think the mother is the one who decides.Like when a mother miscarries it maybe be because she is not able to carry that gender.Of course thats not the only reason it happena but I thought it was interesting.Seems kind of crazy but who knows


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## Elljo3

My partners side of the family are boys and when I had a lot of trouble and health worry s in my. Last pregnancy a lot of the doctors said its because the baby's a girl......


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## motherofboys

A lot of people have asked me if I can only carry boys and if I have ever miscarried but I haven't. 4th pregnancy, 4th boy. 
Its probably a combination of things that makes some couples have a higher chance of one gender or the other.


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## tinkerbelle93

motherofboys said:


> A lot of people have asked me if I can only carry boys and if I have ever miscarried but I haven't. 4th pregnancy, 4th boy.
> Its probably a combination of things that makes some couples have a higher chance of one gender or the other.

Yes I don't understand why a woman would only be able to carry one gender, it just doesn't seem a very logical explanation to me? Why would the baby's gender make a difference to whether you could carry it or not :/ 

I'm just curious to whether it is just chance because, if it is down to chance, then you would always get some people who end up with 6 or so children the same gender just because it happened that way.. or whether some people just have it pre-determined that it's most likely they will be having only boys or only girls. It just makes me feel a bit weird thinking that there's a chance choosing to be with my OH guarantees the fact I'll only have sons and never a daughter. xx


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## motherofboys

I must admit I did have that thought, that if I had ended up with someone else I might have had daughters. But to be honest I am happier with all boys than I would have been with all girls, I always wanted boys. It's just this time round it mattered. Everyone going on about how I must want a girl made me feel I should and that something was missing with out one. But I've come to realize it's not the case. I wouldn't swap any of my boys for a girl and if I'd have ended up with a different man I don't know if I'd have been as lucky or as happy as I am with DH. 
I do believe in everything happening for a reason and that you get what you are meant to have. For whatever reason I am meant to have boys. 
I'll just have to hope that I get at least one daughter in law that I can be close to do I can spoil my granddaughters.
Although I do look at my son's and wonder if the all boy line will be broken with them out of one of them will only have sons.


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## tinkerbelle93

motherofboys said:


> I must admit I did have that thought, that if I had ended up with someone else I might have had daughters. But to be honest I am happier with all boys than I would have been with all girls, I always wanted boys. It's just this time round it mattered. Everyone going on about how I must want a girl made me feel I should and that something was missing with out one. But I've come to realize it's not the case. I wouldn't swap any of my boys for a girl and if I'd have ended up with a different man I don't know if I'd have been as lucky or as happy as I am with DH.
> I do believe in everything happening for a reason and that you get what you are meant to have. For whatever reason I am meant to have boys.
> I'll just have to hope that I get at least one daughter in law that I can be close to do I can spoil my granddaughters.
> Although I do look at my son's and wonder if the all boy line will be broken with them out of one of them will only have sons.

I also love having a boy (really wanted a little boy first time round) and would be happy to have another boy next but it's always nice to have that feeling that it's 50/50 and it could be one or the other. It sort of takes the magic away if you know that it's just going to all boys or all girls if that makes sense? xx


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## motherofboys

yeah theres a lot of excitement in the guessing game of boy or girl. It'd be nice to know if there were a chance either way. Have to say on gender dreaming I have seen women post "after 7 girls its a boy" and similar the other way round, so I think it is possible with every pregnancy no matter how many of one gender you have to get the opposite. Its just how many you actually end up having and where in the line up that opposite comes along. Most people would only go for 2/3/4. I've been told that 3 boys isn't enough to say whether there is a family trait even though its one man in every generation of DH family who has 3 boys (apart from his great grandad who had 6 and us having a 4th)


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## cooch

There was actually a study, small, done in Northern Europe. I can't remember the country, I'm sure it'll show up on google. Anyway the study was that although sperm determines the sex of the baby, the lady's egg could be predisposed to accepting particular sperm, thus creating only specific sex of child. I don't ink the study was to do with fathering one type of sex, but was more of a look at why some dont fall pregnant, or miscarry, or failure of ivf etc. ill have a look for it and post.


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## onetwothreebp

I don't know if it was my mothers friends bad luck or something medical but she was only able to carry girls full term. She has two daughters and had three miscarriages (around 12-18 weeks) and all three were males.


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## jenniferttc1

I think so. My husbands side is all boys, no girls in over 60 years, and we are expecting our second boy :) 
My side is all girls, but obviously my family has nothing to do with my husbands gender in his sperm.


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## pinklightbulb

I think the PH of a woman's vagina may play some role in it. An alkaline environment is said to favour boys, a slightly acidic to favour girls as it kills off male sperm more readily. I read this somewhere.

However, I think some men may produce slightly more of one sperm. My ex has three boys, one to his other ex and two to me. No girls out of him!


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## tinkerbelle93

Haha still quite confused... so it could be that all men have a special gene that determines whether they make more boy/girl sperm or equal amounts, it could be that some women's eggs won't accept sperm of a particular gender, it could be that some women can only carry one gender and will miscarry the other gender, it could be vaginal PH levels in women or it could just be pure luck and chance who knows really! xx


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## 6lilpigs

For those who are members over on the genderdreaming site or those who are interested in a pro's opinion, mot mine lol, heres the link to Atomic Sagebrush's thoughts on this.

Moderator edited 

I think basically its impossible to not be able to carry girls due to them having two x chromosomes and boys could also still be carried but if there is a strong genetic mutation of the y chromosome they may well miscarry or die in infancy.


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## Tasha

Sorry I had to edit your post 6lilpigs because it broke one of the forum rules



> You may not link to third party forums, chatrooms, competing pregnancy/parenting resources, competing groups/pages or unapproved social networking Web Sites


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## 6lilpigs

Oh ok, sorry about that:flower:
I'll hunt through the text it related to and quote the interesting bits lol, if thats ok:thumbup:


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## Tasha

That is fine hun x


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## babyhopes2010

yes and no/

obviously out if millions of sperms there are xx and xy but some men seem to only have xx or xy fertalise an egg


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## oceania

If I had a dice with 3 sides of X and 3 sides of Y and I rolled the dice, it would be very possible for me to get the same X or Y many times in a row...I think some people just end up with the same gender because its 50% everytime and its not statistically that strange to end up with the same many times in a row...i dont know if anyone gets my point.


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## motherofboys

I get what you mean, I've seen people say its like flipping an coin and there is only so many times you can flip and get heads. I guess if everyone could just keep going and going they would eventually get the opposite, but when you know people who have 7 or 8 of the same gender it does seem like they can only have that 1 gender.


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## tinkerbelle93

Yeah I can see your point, I suppose that's supported by the stats showing how many families are one gender.. once there are five or more children it's only a very small minority who are still one gender. xx


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## aimee-lou

tinkerbelle93 said:


> Yeah I can see your point, I suppose that's supported by the stats showing how many families are one gender.. once there are five or more children it's only a very small minority who are still one gender. xx

5 does seem to be the magic number. I know of 2 families - 1 has 3 girls, the other 4. Both times they really wanted a boy. I have 3 boys....no way we'd have another even if we wanted a girl, but the midwife who delivered number 3 said she's seen so many people get to 4 of the same gender, so she said we'd more than likely have a 4th boy. She said that the 5th baby is very often that opposite gender. She's been doing it for 20 years so I trust her lol.


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## motherofboys

I have a friend who had 4 girls, number 5 was her boy, but she wanted him to have a brother. She got a girl for number 6, so went on to have number 7 then 8 who were both boys. I do know a lot of people who stopped at 4 and all have the same. Then again I know a lady on here with her 5th boy and one on another site with her 7th boy. And have read posts along the line of "after 7 girls is finally a boy" 
I want more babies but know there had to be a limit and think there will always be that"maybe the next one" so have to make a decision on where to stop and stick to it no matter what.


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## tinkerbelle93

It's not so much the single families with one gender that fascinate me.. but more the ones where it's been going on and on for generations and generations! Those are the ones where you think no surely something is causing there to be so many girls/boys born xx


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## motherofboys

I know what you mean. If all the things involved in swaying are true then there does seem to be some genetics but on the woman's side, I guess the right ph environment or levels of hormones that favour one gender could be passed through the girls. Following my maternal route back it was very girl heavy. But also they say that life style and diet makes a difference. So if each generation live in the same area and have a similar life style that would also make sense. With dh family it's been one man in each generation that has all boys. All his male cousins only have daughters.


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