When can you find out your baby’s sex, what happens at the 20 week scan and are there signs you’re having a boy or girl?

WHEN you’re in the early stages of pregnancy, one of the most exciting things you’ll be thinking about is whether your baby will be a boy or a girl.

Here’s what you need to know about when, where and how you’ll find out.

When can you find out a baby’s sex?

Most pregnant women find out their baby's sex (if they choose to know) during their mid-pregnancy ultrasound scan.

This usually takes place around the 20 week mark.

, the technician may not be able to tell the sex for certain if they can't get a clear view of the baby's genitals.

A baby's penis or vulva begins forming as early as six weeks, but male and female babies still look very similar on ultrasound until about 14 weeks.

In some cases, it can still be hard to tell several weeks after that.

You don’t have to find out your baby’s sex in advance and some expecting parents choose not to.

This is what happens at the 20 week scan

The 20 week scan is also known as the mid-pregnancy anomaly scan.

It’s usually carried out when you’re between 18 and 21 weeks pregnant.

The anomaly scan is offered to all pregnant mums, but you don’t have to take it if you don’t want to.

The scan is carried out by trained staff called sonographers and will check for major physical abnormalities in your baby, although it can't pick up every problem.

As the scan is a medical examination, you'll be asked to give your permission for it to be carried out.

The scan doesn’t hurt and the whole appointment usually takes around 30 minutes.

You'll be asked to lie on a couch with your tummy area uncovered.

The sonographer will apply gel to your stomach and pass a hand-held probe over your skin to examine the baby.

It’s very exciting - you’ll be able to see a black and white image of your baby on the ultrasound screen.

You’ll be given the results of the scan at the time, as well as a black and white 2-D image of your growing baby to take home.  

Are there any early signs you’re having a boy or a girl?

While medical scans won’t determine whether a baby is male or female until the 20 week mark, some experts suggest you can predict a baby’s sex at just 12 weeks into pregnancy.

The predictions are based on analysing the skull shape and ‘nub’ area between the foetus’ legs.

At 12 weeks, the chin of a male foetus is likely to be more square, while it’s likely to have a chunkier skull shape and more pronounced brow ridge.

A female foetus is likely to have a smaller brow ridge and more pointy chin.

Another telling sign: foetuses with a ‘nub’ in between the legs that’s angled at greater than 30 degrees are likely to be boys, while girls' nubs sits below 30 degrees.