Study author: Study has wide implications
Wednesday, 23 Apr 2008 12:03
A study linking mothers' diets to child sex could explain why there is a falling birth-rate of boys in industrialised countries, according to Dr Fiona Mathews from the University of Exeter.
Dr Mathews is the lead author of the study, which found that a woman's diet at the time of conception could determine the sex of the unborn child.
It revealed that a higher calorie intake around the time of conception and consumption of breakfast cereals are linked to the birth of sons.
As well as consuming more calories, women who had sons were more likely to have eaten a higher quantity and wider range of nutrients, including potassium, calcium and vitamins C, E and B12.
Dr Mathews said the findings could shed light on the falling birth-rate of boys in industrialised countries, including the UK and US.
"This research may help to explain why in developed countries, where many young women choose to have low calorie diets, the proportion of boys born is falling," she explained.
"Our findings are particularly interesting given the recent debates within the human fertilisation and embryology committee about whether to regulate 'gender' clinics that allow parents to select offspring sex, by manipulating sperm, for non-medical reasons.
"Here we have evidence of a 'natural' mechanism that means that women appear to be already controlling the sex of their offspring by their diet."