Boy or girl?

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

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

Myth

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.

First pregnancies often “carry higher” because the abdominal muscles are firmer. Later pregnancies often sit lower. Your height, torso length, the amount of amniotic fluid, and whether the baby is facing forwards or backwards all change the shape too.

The same goes for a round versus a pointed bump. Neither shape tracks with the baby’s sex any better than a coin toss.

References

  1. Perry DF et al. Are women carrying “basketballs” really having boys? Birth, 1999

Related weeks

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More boy or girl? myths

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.

 Myth

Do sweet cravings mean a girl and salty cravings a boy?

No. There’s no evidence cravings relate to the baby’s sex. They are shaped by hormones, culture, habit and changes in taste and smell.