Chinese pregnancy calendar: everything you need to know

The anticipation of a baby is generally a joyful time, but also one filled with curiosity and questions—especially when it comes to guessing your baby’s sex. Among the most fascinating (and controversial) methods, the Chinese pregnancy calendar claims to help you predict your baby’s sex.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the Chinese pregnancy calendar?

The Chinese pregnancy calendar is a traditional tool that has been used for centuries to predict the sex of an unborn baby. Let’s take a closer look at its origins and how it works.

Origins and history of the Chinese calendar

According to the folklore surrounding the Chinese pregnancy calendar, its origins date back nearly a millennium (around 700 years ago). Legend has it that this calendar was discovered in a Chinese royal tomb before being published in a newspaper in Hong Kong in the 1970s.

Historically, it was used by Chinese nobility to influence the birth of a male heir. This method, kept secret and highly valued, was based on lunar cycles and was considered knowledge reserved for the elite.

Today, although viewed with skepticism by modern science, the calendar remains popular among expectant parents curious to know their baby’s sex before the second ultrasound.

How does the Chinese pregnancy calendar work?

The way the Chinese pregnancy calendar works is quite simple, but it requires the conversion of age and month into lunar equivalents. Here’s how.

• Solar age: this is the standard system of age used in France and in most of the Western world. It is measured in years, meaning one year for every full revolution of the Earth around the Sun. If someone is 30 years old, it means the Earth has completed 30 revolutions since their birth.
• Lunar age: this is the age measurement used in the Chinese pregnancy calendar. Instead of considering the Earth’s revolution around the Sun, it is based on the different phases of the moon.

Converting your solar age to lunar age requires some calculations; an astrologer can do this for you. For those in a hurry, there are also websites that offer to do it (much like zodiac sign calculators).

Using the Chinese pregnancy calendar requires converting the mother’s age at the time of conception and the month of conception. These two pieces of information are usually provided during the first trimester ultrasound (in solar age).

Once these details are converted, they are cross-referenced in the calendar to try to predict whether you’re having a boy or a girl. For example, if a 26-year-old woman becomes pregnant in January, the Chinese calendar is supposed to predict the baby’s sex based on lunar data.

Good to know: just like our Western calendars, there is a different Chinese pregnancy calendar each year. It evolves with the lunar calendar.

Chinese pregnancy calendar: how reliable is it?

The Chinese pregnancy calendar is a popular method among expecting parents to try to predict their baby’s sex. But how reliable is it? Let’s compare it to modern scientific methods.

Determining the baby’s sex: scientific methods

Let’s be clear: scientific methods are the only recognized and reliable ways to determine a baby’s sex. By scientific methods, we are referring to the second trimester ultrasound, typically performed between 22 and 24 weeks of amenorrhea (WA). By then, the baby’s genitals are usually visible, making it possible to determine whether it’s a boy or a girl. This method offers near-total reliability.

Want to learn more? Feel free to download the May app, where you’ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your pregnancy.

Reliability of the Chinese pregnancy calendar

The Chinese calendar, on the other hand, though ancient and culturally significant, has no proven scientific foundation. It is a tradition based on astrology and lunar cycles, not an exact science. Some believe the Chinese pregnancy calendar has a theoretical success rate of 50%, which is equivalent to a coin toss—the same odds as guessing randomly.

Therefore, while the Chinese calendar can be a fun (and mysterious) way to pass the time until the ultrasound, it’s best to avoid relying on it for planning important aspects of pregnancy. As always: if you have any questions during your pregnancy, don’t hesitate to consult your doctor, midwife, or gynecologist. Your healthcare professionals are the only ones who can provide you with reliable answers.

Also note that trying out the Chinese pregnancy calendar does not replace the second trimester ultrasound. Beyond potentially revealing your baby’s sex (if you wish to know before birth), this ultrasound allows your healthcare provider to take various images to ensure your baby is developing properly (brain, kidneys, heart, nose, mouth, spine…).

The Chinese pregnancy calendar is therefore a method that intrigues many expecting mothers trying to predict their baby’s sex. Although it is rich in tradition and mystery, its reliability remains unproven and cannot replace modern scientific methods.

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Photo: inessaarteni92

This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May ES/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.