Monthly Archives: February, 2020

Since ancient times creating a family has been the core of every society. This is also the reason why so many beliefs on this topic exist. Beliefs were intended to explain things that people did not understand and, above all, to prevent misfortune and accidents. Today, science has answered some of the most pressing questions on raising a healthy baby. However, it is interesting that, as absurd as many old wives’ tales may sound, there is also a dose of truth in them.

“NO ONE SHOULD VISIT THE BABY FOR 40 DAYS AFTER ITS BIRTH “

There is quite a lot of logic in this belief. Babies are irresistible and everyone wants to cuddle them, but their immune system is still imperfect, making them extremely susceptible to infection. In any case, we do not recommend that you ban all visits to your baby.

 Just watch out for good hygiene (visitors need to wash their hands first). Anyone with symptoms of a cold (runny nose, fever, cough) or gastrointestinal issues (vomiting, diarrhea) can see your baby only after they get healthy. After putting out  their cigarette, smokers should wash their hands and wait about 20 minutes before hugging the new family member.

“IF THE BABY IS AN EARLY TALKER, HE OR SHE WILL BE A LATE WALKER” AND VICE VERSA

The normal mental development of children depends on genetics and environmental factors. Parental care is invaluable for properly shaping the child as an individual.

Babies usually start talking (meaningful words, not just syllables) and walking (a bit wobbly at first) around 12 months of age. By no means does this imply that your child has a problem if they cannot walk or talk on their first birthday. Of course, if something bothers you, you can always consult with your pediatrician.

This belief is mostly false since there’s no data to support such a claim. However, to the delight of many parents, studies suggest that children who start speaking earlier will be more successful in communicating and learning foreign languages.

What are your favorite beliefs and do you think there is a dose of truth in them?

NATAL ASTROLOGY – TRUTH OR MYTH?

A BOY OR A GIRL

CAN I CHOOSE MY BABY’S SEX DURING IN VITRO FERTILIZATION?

Usually, parents can find out the sex of their baby around 18th week. In some cases during in vitro fertilization the baby’s sex may be known even before the embryo transfer. Therefore, it is perfectly normal for future parents to be interested in whether they can have a boy or girl on request.

The answer is “yes”, but only when it’s necessary in order to have a healthy baby.

Yet there is good news for those who dream of having a boy. With IVF the chance of getting pregnant with a boy has been shown to be slightly higher – around 56%.

PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS

There is a method by which the sex of the embryo can be found before the embryo transfer. This is the so-called Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). The study is performed after multiple failed embryo transfers, as well as when there’s a high risk of inheriting a severe genetic disorder (cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, beta-thalassemia, even some cancers). Some hereditary diseases are significantly more prevalent in either sex, such as hemophilia in men.

PGD ​​is a biopsy of a blastocyst embryo, ie on the fifth day of development. Cells from the part of the blastocyst that will become the placenta are aspirated for the biopsy, therefore the embryo can’t be harmed.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is a costly test that is only performed in the presence of indications. Its cost is not covered by the Center for Assisted Reproduction (CAR).

BOY OR GIRL ON REQUEST

Many parents dream of having both a boy and a girl. For some, this wish may come true with the second pregnancy while others seem to be “destined” to have only boys or girls. We must not forget that the chance of having a boy or girl is 50:50 and, as a whole, we cannot really help it.

There are methods besides pre-implantation diagnosis that can help us obtain an embryo of the desired sex. Sperm  carrying an X chromosome are heavier and the Y chromosome carrying sperm  are lighter. Based on these differences, by using centrifugation we can separate from “male” from “female” sperm. The method has a success rate of about 85% and can be freely applied in some countries (i.e. the USA).

However, things are different in Bulgaria. The use of preimplantation diagnosis without medical indications (risk of inheriting  of a serious genetic disease) is illegal.