Baby Blues
Survey lifts the lid on ‘gender disappointment’ in the UK
- 1 in 4 said gender disappointment negatively affected their bonding with the baby
- 1 in 10 ADMITTED being disappointed upon finding out the sex of their baby
- However, the majority said they would NOT ADMIT feelings of disappointment to others
- 1 in 3 expectant parents want to find out the sex of their baby as soon as possible, to help them manage expectations and feelings
- UK-first from AlphaBiolabs’ DNA lab: Expectant parents can use innovative self-collection device to collect their own blood sample at home for baby gender testing
A survey of over 1,000 expectant and new parents1 has revealed some surprising attitudes towards baby gender in Britain, with 1 in 10 parents admitting they’ve experienced disappointment upon finding out the sex of their baby.
The survey from AlphaBiolabs – the UK’s no.1 home DNA testing laboratory – also found that 1 in 4 struggled to bond with their baby due to gender disappointment1, with men admitting to being far more affected compared to women.
However, these figures are likely to be even higher, with almost two thirds (60%) of expectant parents saying they would keep their feelings secret from friends and family if the sex of their baby was not what they had hoped for.2
Additionally, 1 in 6 said that gender disappointment influenced their decision to have more children1, in the hope of having a baby of the opposite sex.
The highest proportion of parents who experienced gender disappointment were based in the South East (1 in 6), compared to just 1 in 17 parents in the East Midlands and the South West1.
And of all the regions, respondents in Scotland were the most secretive about gender disappointment, with 77% saying they would keep their feelings to themselves, followed by those in London (67%) and the South East (65%)2.
Parents most likely to admit feelings of disappointment about the sex of their baby were in the South West, with 63% saying they would share their feelings if their baby was not the sex they hoped for2.
The results of the survey corroborate a lot of recent talk on social media regarding gender disappointment, including one example earlier this year where a Michigan-based mother went viral on TikTok for reacting with disappointment and sadness at the gender reveal of her second child.
When asked for their reasons for finding out the sex early, both men and women cited practical reasons, such as preparing for the baby’s arrival (decorating the nursery, buying clothes), as the primary reason for wanting to know.
This desire to prepare means it’s not surprising that most parents want to find out the sex of their baby before it’s born, with 1 in 3 saying they want to know as soon as is practically possible1.
There is also a stark contrast across the UK when it comes to how soon expectant parents want to find out the sex of their baby, with 46% of Welsh respondents saying they would like to find out as early as possible, and 45% of respondents in Northern Ireland preferring to wait until the baby is born1.
“A baby’s sex is determined from the moment of conception, meaning that parents have no control over whether their baby is a boy or a girl. However, as our survey shows, that doesn’t stop them from having a preference one way or another,” says Casey Randell, Head of Genetics at AlphaBiolabs.
“For parents who are concerned about gender disappointment, finding out the sex of the baby as soon as possible – before the traditional 20-week anatomy scan – can really help manage these feelings, and give them extra time to prepare and get excited about the arrival of their little one.”
TinyTAP: a UK-first for baby gender testing from AlphaBiolabs
Cheshire testing laboratory, AlphaBiolabs, is the first in the UK to offer at-home blood sample self-collection for baby gender testing, using the innovative, fuss-free TinyTAP device.
The device, which has never been made available to UK consumers before, makes it possible for expectant parents to collect their own blood sample at home and return it to the laboratory for the purpose of baby gender testing, with no medical appointments necessary.
The At-home Baby Gender Test allows expectant parents to find out the sex of their baby from as early as 6 weeks’ into pregnancy, with only a blood sample from mum required.
Where other laboratories require a blood sample be collected from a vein in the arm, the TinyTAP device allows expectant parents to collect a small sample of blood at home, by pressing the device against the upper arm.
For just £89, the test kit includes everything needed to collect a blood sample and return it to the company’s accredited laboratory for testing, with results in just 3 days – or the next day with AlphaBiolabs’ Express Service.
With 40% of expectant parents saying they would want to find out the sex of their baby as soon as is practically possible, the test provides a fast, effective means of finding out early, with no need to wait for a medical appointment.
How does a baby gender test work?
Baby gender testing using a blood sample from the mother is the most accurate way to determine a baby’s sex before birth.
When the mother is around 6 weeks pregnant, small amounts of the baby’s DNA begin circulating in the mother’s blood stream, meaning highly sensitive testing methods can be used to screen the mother’s blood sample for the presence of a Y chromosome.
As the Y chromosome is only found in males, its presence in the mother’s blood sample indicates that the baby is a boy; if no Y chromosome is detected, this indicates that the baby is a girl.
Sources:
1: Find Out Now, survey of 1,000 expectant and new parents, commissioned by AlphaBiolabs (17 June 2024)
2: Find Out Now, survey of 500 expectant parents only, commissioned by AlphaBiolabs (28 June 2024)