I believe many mothers have seen this statement online - "The shape of the gestational sac can distinguish between boys and girls." It is said that the gestational sac is eggplant shaped or elongated, and is a boy; The gestational sac is round or oval, referring to girls.

There are also many experienced people who confidently say 'really accurate'! Is this really so magical, or is it just a coincidence? Let's go into detail today.

Firstly, we need to understand what a gestational sac is?

In short, the gestational sac is the baby's first 'little house'. In the early stages of pregnancy, it is just a small vesicle containing amniotic fluid and enveloping the embryo. It is this little bubble that provides the baby with the initial sense of security and nutrition.

When can we see this small house?

Usually, around 5 weeks of pregnancy, this small gestational sac can be detected in the uterus through transvaginal ultrasound. If it is an abdominal ultrasound examination, it may be slightly later and can only be seen more clearly around 6 weeks of pregnancy. So, this is usually the first time mothers see evidence of their baby's existence through ultrasound, and their excitement is imaginable!

Is the shape of the gestational sac reliable for both men and women?

Direct conclusion: unreliable! This really has no scientific basis.

For a long time, doctors and reproductive specialists have been studying that the shape of the gestational sac is mainly influenced by the following factors, but this is not related to whether the baby is male or female

Reasons for the formation of the shape of the gestational sac

Mother's uterus shape: Everyone's uterus is not the same standard sphere. It may tilt slightly forward or backward, and the internal space varies from person to person, which can 'squeeze' the gestational sac and make it look different in shape.  

Bladder filling degree: Whether there is urine and how much urine is present before undergoing ultrasound examination will directly affect the imaging angle of the ultrasound probe. The shape of the same gestational sac may change from "long" to "round" from different angles.

The cross-section captured by ultrasound: There is a significant randomness in the timing at which doctors capture images during surgery. Just like when you shoot a balloon, if you shoot from the front, it may be circular, but if you shoot from the side, it may also be elliptical.

The tension of the gestational sac itself: The gestational sac is not a rigid solid in the uterine cavity, and the amount of amniotic fluid inside and its own contraction state

May cause slight changes in shape at any time.

So, whether the gestational sac is long or round is more like a "random snapshot", using it to determine gender is actually similar to the probability of "flipping a coin to guess before and after".

The true mission of gestational sac

Although the gestational sac cannot distinguish between males and females, its size is an important indicator for doctors to assess the development of the embryo. By measuring the average diameter of the gestational sac, one can estimate the gestational age and observe whether its growth matches the gestational age.

So, next time you see a gestational sac on an ultrasound, don't be obsessed with guessing gender anymore! Its shape is circular or flat, both of which are unique ways for babies to greet you. As long as the doctor evaluates that the size of the gestational sac is normal, the position is good, and the fetal heart and bud can be seen, that is the best news!

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