Ultrasound determination of foetal gender: accuracy and social implications

Seventy six pregnant women were examined by ultrasound (US) for prenatal determination of foetal gender. Results were compared with those of outcome at delivery. The range of gestational age (GA) at scan was 22-40 weeks (mean 35 +/- 4.0 weeks). Forty seven of the babies at birth were boys, while twenty nine were girls. Incorrect prediction foetal gender occurred in four out of seventy-six (5.3%) comprising two males and two females giving an overall accuracy of seventy two out of seventy six (94.7%). Accuracy of gender assignment was forty five out of forty seven (95.7%) for boys and twenty seven out of twenty nine (93.1%) for girls. It is recommended that discretion should be exercised in disclosing the gender of an unborn baby, especially if it does not correspond to the preferred sex of the mother. Determination of foetal gender should not be performed on demand or as a matter of routine in developing countries because of limited resources and shortage of skilled manpower.