Boy or girl?

Does the baking soda gender test work?

Checked against the sources listed on this page. Not reviewed by a clinician. Last updated 5 November 2026. How we check.

Myth

No. Whether urine fizzes with baking soda depends on its acidity, which changes with food, fluids and time of day, not the baby’s sex.

Fizzing means the urine is acidic. Drink more water, eat differently, or test at another time of day and you can get the “other” result from the same pregnancy.

References

We found no study that tests this directly, so this answer rests on general biology and the lack of evidence for the claim.

More boy or girl? myths

Myth

Does carrying high mean a girl and carrying low mean a boy?

No. The shape and height of a bump depend on your muscles, body shape, how many pregnancies you’ve had and the baby’s position, not the baby’s sex.

 Myth

Does a heart rate over 140 mean it’s a girl?

No. Studies comparing early heart rates in boys and girls found no meaningful difference. Heart rate depends mostly on gestational age.

 Partly true

Does bad morning sickness mean you’re having a girl?

There’s a small statistical link between severe sickness and girls, but it can’t predict the sex of any one baby.