Burn more calories when carrying a boy?!!

[kristen77]

Hi girls,

I've just been catching up on Grey's Anatomy, and one of the characters said that you burn 10% more calories when you are carrying a boy than a girl. Anyone ever heard of this before? I know the source is slightly dubious (ok, maybe more than slightly....) but surely they can't just make stuff like that up?

I was trying to think why that would be ? I think boys generally have higher birth weights so could it be linked to that? Or do you think it is just utter nonsense?!

Any thoughts!?

x

 

[Star7890]

Oohh im not sure Id like to find out though xx

 

[kat2504]

10% is a lot of calories. If an average woman needs 2000 per day, and a pregnant woman needs about 2300, that means a male fetus would allow you to eat an extra 230 calories a day. An entire Kit Kat. I doubt any fetus, male or female, is using that many extra calories per day as it is tiny.

What may be true is that a male fetus uses slightly more calories than a female fetus, by 10%. Say an unborn girl in late pregnancy is using up 250 calories, an unborn boy might use up 275 calories.

That means you only get to eat 25 extra calories for carrying a boy. More like a carrot than a Kit Kat I'm afraid!!

There may be some truth in it if boys have larger average birth weights.

 

[kristen77]

I presumed it meant that it was 10% more than the additional calories needed, i.e. about 30 calories a day. Do like the kitkat idea though...........

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