Is the Child a Boy or a Girl? What Science Says and What Society Thinks!

Introduction:

We often hear—“The mother is responsible for having a girl child.” But in the eyes of science, this idea is completely wrong. In reality, whether the child is a boy or a girl is determined by the father’s genetic material. Yet in society, when a girl is born, the blame is often put on the mother, which is not only superstition but sometimes even causes family breakups.

What does science say: Who determines if it’s a boy or a girl?

Every human body has specific “chromosomes” that determine our physical characteristics. Among them is one pair called the sex-determining chromosomes.

• The mother’s egg always carries an X chromosome.
  
• The father’s sperm carries either an X or a Y chromosome.
  

If the father’s sperm carrying an X fuses with the egg → the baby will be a girl (XX).
If the father’s sperm carrying a Y fuses → the baby will be a boy (XY).

In other words, whether the child will be a boy or a girl fully depends on the father’s sperm, not the mother.

Common Misconceptions in Society

Even though the scientific explanation is absolutely clear, a different image is seen in our society. Often, when a girl is born, the mother is blamed.

• The girl child is considered a burden, due to wedding costs, dowry, or social customs of leaving the family.
  
• The son is regarded as the heir to the family, who will carry on the lineage and care for the parents in old age.
  

As a result, preference for sons still persists in society.

Family Tensions and Divorce

In many South Asian families, it is seen that—

• If multiple daughters are born one after another, tension arises in the marital relationship.
  
• The mother is blamed, even though she has no role in it.
  
• In many cases, the birth of a girl leads to abuse, second marriage, or even divorce.
  

This is an injustice against women, as well as an example of denying scientific truth.

The Context of Bangladesh and South Asia

• In the past, having a son was considered “essential” in Bangladesh.
  
• Research has shown that many families would have more children in the hope of having a son.
  
• However, recently, attitudes are changing in urban areas—many parents now want both sons and daughters equally.
  
• The Bangladesh High Court has recently questioned why unrestricted prenatal sex determination testing should be allowed, as it increases the risk of sex-selective abortion.
  

Conclusion:

The scientific fact is—whether a child will be a boy or a girl is determined by the father’s sperm; the mother has no role in it.
But society disregards this truth and blames the mother for having a girl. As a result, many women unjustly face abuse, neglect, and even divorce.

What should we do—

• Spread this scientific information among people.
  
• Give equal value to both boys and girls.
  
• Consider daughters not as a burden, but as an equal blessing to the family.
  

References:

1. Jobling, M.A., & Tyler-Smith, C. (2003). The human Y chromosome: An evolutionary marker comes of age. Nature Reviews Genetics.
   
2. UNICEF (2019). Gender equality and children in South Asia.
   
3. NIPORT & ICDDR,B (2021). Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey.
   
4. Pande, R. & Malhotra, A. (2006). Son Preference and Daughter Neglect in India. World Bank.
   
5. The Daily Star (2024). “High Court questions govt over sex determination tests in pregnancy.”

Written by,

Md. Fahad Hossain
Student, Department of Zoology.
Shahid Bulbul Govt. College, Pabna.
(Affiliated with National University of Bangladesh.)