Family Forum / Pregnancy / Pregnancy / January 2005

Thanks to all who responded to the Gender intuition poll. I was hoping to
get to 100 children, but didn't quite manage that even though I tried a
couple of people round here.
Most people round here said they'd no idea, which wasn't totally helpful :-)

I ended up with 25 people and 71 children, plus about 8 people who said they
had no idea until the scan/baby came out.

It came to 64% of these were right in their guess, and 4 children had yet to
be born (and found out!)
It obviously does pay to have a stronger thought-of those who gave a guess
at how strongly they felt (1 for mild, 5 for certain)
Giving 4 or more 82% right
2 or less 33% right!! (less than the average monkey)

Almost everyone who could put a time on it, reckoned that they knew by the
end of the first trimester (12 weeks) and of the others all knew by 20
weeks. I wonder if that would have been different in the days before scans?

Interestingly 68% of people got what they wanted. That could be interesting
to take further. Could the body be able to help the sperms they want?
Also 68% (not the same people) thought they had what they wanted.

Men were more often right (or do they admit being wrong less often ;-P) 75%
were right
Whereas the mothers were, on their own, only 60% right.

80% of people "just knew" if they gave a reason, getting 61% right, with 13%
of people having a dream (57% right)

Just under half did something on the basis of intuition, of which 64.5% were
right. The most popular was to buy clothes-and 68% of people were right. But
only 61 % of people who told others what they thought were right.

CONCLUSION (in a true scientific way... maybe not)
Well I don't think the sample is anything like significant, so I don't think
general conclusions can be taken.
There does seem to be a definite percentage right, so there must be some
sort of intuition.
Someone (skeptic) did say to me that they expected people forgot more when
they were wrong, and told me that their wife changed her story between
pregnancy and 6 months after birth. :-)
I do wonder on the mild feeling being 33%. It shouldn't really be less than
50%! Maybe we're happier to admit we were wrong if it was a mild feeling?
But it still shouldn't be under 50%!! Any suggestions?
People did seem much more reluctant to admit to intuition face to face or
maybe it's because they were English ;-P Have to wait for next time I go to
Wales....

Debbie