Is the Pink or Blue early baby gender DNA test accurate?
by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted August 29, 2007 in DNA Testing
In 2005, the Early Baby Gender Mentor DNA test was launched. Since then, test maker Acu-Gen has been sued in a Class Action lawsuit claiming “misrepresentations, fraud, and/or other improper business practices.” Following on the heels of the Early Baby Gender Mentor, the Pink or Blue test uses the same technque to test for fetal DNA in maternal blood, analyzed from a dried blood spot, to see if there’s any from the Y chromosome - the presence of the Y chromosome means boy, none means girl. The test can be used as early as six weeks with a purported accuracy of greater than 98%.
Aside from issues of accuracy, tests such as these are also raising concerns that parents may use them for gender selection aka family balancing. From Elisa Hatigan of Subversive Writer on “gender disappointment”:
In North America, Gender Disappointment has less to do with family/cultural traditions and expectations and more to do with personal fears and fantasies, but nonetheless can be very traumatic for a woman. Some women simply cannot cope with the thought of taking care of a particular gender. They might have been abused by men as children, or had traumatic relationships with their fathers or men in general, and sometimes they will try to miscarry or contemplate suicide than give birth to a baby of the “enemy” gender.
I asked myself what I would do. …Would I use genetic testing to find out early? Yes, definitely.
Have you or has someone you know taken an early gender DNA test? Karen Kaplan, a reporter at the Los Angeles Times, wants to hear your stories. Please leave a comment here or email her directly at Karen.Kaplan@latimes.com.
Update: Terry Carmichael, VP at Consumer Genetics, manufacturer of the Pink or Blue early baby gender DNA test answers my questions in this interview for Eye on DNA.
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I had never heard of the term gender disappointment before. I had always thought of this kind of thing as happening in India or China to get rid of female fetuses or here in the U.S. to have equal numbers of each gender through PGD (by the wealthy of course). The idea that someone so hates men that they can’t stomach a male child hadn’t even occurred to me. I wonder if these women have chosen to get pregnant (especially if they so dislike men).
I’ve never heard of gender disappointment before either…. Anyway, haven’t you heard yet? You don’t need a man to have a baby.
Well, you do need something from the man. I suppose if they went that route they could always just microsort to try to get rid of the boy sperm.
I hope this tool of genetic gender test kit will not be misused for gender pre-determination of babies!
How I read miserably, in my history textbook, about the live burying of baby girls in pre-Islamic Arab. In China, gender imbalance is opening up a whole bunch of social problems. In Malaysia, the story of Chinese girls adopted by Malay families, attempting to reunite with their biological families goes on and on with no end.
Even in my society, the mentality of “trying to concieve a son” is slowly declining. In this New Age, I hope that gender discrimination will be completely eradicated across the globe as well.
Biolovepulse, You bring up some very important examples. Interestingly, many of my friends and I hoped for girls but got boys. Now we can’t imagine it being any other way!
I took the Pink or Blue gender test at 10 weeks and it told me I was having a girl. I guess the only thing to do is wait to see if it was correct.
Amber, Thanks for the comment. Did you check via ultrasound by any chance?
Not yet - I’m just at 12 weeks - so I’ll see in a few weeks.
What an exciting time for you! Hope you’re enjoying your pregnancy and that you get a great ultrasound picture from your upcoming appointment.
Hi Amber,
Have you had an ultrasound yet? just wondering if it said boy or girl.
thanks!
Karen
Yes - the two ultrasounds have both said girl - so the test was accurate.
Hi I just wanted to say I took the pob test and it said girl I was 13 weeks I hoped for a boy and feel horrible that I cried when it said girl I just want a healthy baby just need some advise can anyone help
Hi Veronica,
Sorry to hear that you’re disappointed by the results of the DNA test. I would suggest that you receive confirmation from your ultrasound at around 20+ weeks. But as you said, a healthy baby is the most important!
Lots of hugs.
I took the pink or blue test at 13 weeks, and was told i was having a boy. I have an ultrasound confirmed it is definitely a girl. Here is to hoping I get my money back.
Hi Meg,
I just took the test as well and was told “boy!!!” How could you’ve had y-chromosomes in your blood if it’s a girl? I thought they could only be wrong if they predict it’s a girl because of not enough y-chromosomes in a woman’s blood at the point the test is performed, so that a girl could turn out to be a boy, but not the other way around. Hope you’ll get your money back.
Hanna, Thanks for the comment! I can tell you really studied up on the test.
Also wishing you a speedy and safe delivery!
Good luck, Meg! Wishing you a safe and speedy delivery.
Meg,
Hi my daughter did the POB test and it said a girl then had an ultrasound and said a boy.Has anyone heard of this happening? And what did the baby end up being? Did you redo the POB test and what did it say?
Thanks!
Karen
I took this test last year when I was pregnant with my fourth child at about 10 weeks gestation and it said “BOY”. An ultrasound confirmed it at 20 weeks and our son was born in February of this year.
Thanks for sharing, Wendy! Glad to hear the gender DNA test was accurate for you. Your son must be so much fun now. I always think they really get interesting around 8 months.
HI, I WANT TO TAKE THE TEST BUT I AM SO NERVOUS IT IS WRONG, I WANT A GIRL SO BADLY
Karol,
don’t take the test. It’s expensive and there have been many complaints about its accuracy. It’s better to wait for that 20 week ultrasound. Check out this site to find out more:
http://www.in-gender.com/CS/forums/130.aspx
I TOOK THE POB TEST AT 11 WEEKS AND IT SAID BOY. I WILL BE HAVING AN ULTRASOUND THURSDAY 11/08….I FEEL LIKE ITS A GIRL. I HAVE 3 BOYS AND 1 GIRL AND WITH MY BOYS I WAS NEVER SICK AND SKIN WAS GREAT. NOT THIS TIME AROUND. MY FIRST TRIMESTER WAS HORRIBLE. I’M 4 MONTHS NOW AND STILL FEEL BAD. IT’S GOTTA BE A GIRL!
Hi Tax-Diva,
I feel the same. They said boy, but this time my skin is bad and I feel so sick. I feel girl. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a little longer than you to find out. Please let us know the outcome of your upcoming ultrasound. I wish you the best.
IT’S A GIRL!!!!! I HAD MY UTRA SOUND TODAY AND IT WAS CLEARLY A GIRL. I KNEW I WAS HAVING A GIRL. I HAD 3 BOYS IN A ROW AND NEVER GOT SICK, DIDN’T GAIN ALOT OF WEIGHT, AND SKIN AND HAIR WAS GREAT. I’VE HAD THE TOTAL OPPOSITE THIS PREGNANCY.
MY HUBBY TOLD ME NOT TO TAKE THE PINK OR BLUE TEST SAYING IT WAS A SCAM AND WAIST OF MONEY. I WISH I HAD LISTENED.
I CALLED FOR MONEY BACK TODAY AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEND OUT A NEW TEST KIT FOR RETEST FIRST.
ANYWAY, I’M SO EXCITED. WE ARE HAVING A BABY GIRL DUE IN APRIL 2008.
Hi,
Did you retake the pob test over? If so what did it come back as? I was just wondering because my daughter did the test and it was a girl and then had an ultrasound and it showed a boy. She is due in april also. Just wondering if you retook the test and if it changed or stayed the same. Also did you do the pob test alone or were there any males around?
thanks,
Karen
Yes I did, and it still said boy. They won’t send my money back until she is born. I had a second ultrasound that also confirmed girl.
Hi Hanna,
Just wondering if you have had an ultrasound yet and what it said you were having. Just wondering if it was the same as the pink or blue test. Please let me know!
Thanks
karen
I belong to a kitty club with 87 all women members. We meet once a month and have fun evening. I’ve seen a lot of women fretting over this DNA gender test. Now there is trend to get urogender test instead, which looks like far better in accuracy than blood DNA test. It is done by mailing urine sample to the company (urobiologics, spelling?). This company is assuring that they are operating near zero error and fees are also almost the same as DNA test.
Thought I must share this good info.
Daxita
NEVER MIND, I’M DONE WITH THESE SCAMS. THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO LEARN THE SEX OF YOUR BABY. ULTRA SOUND, CVS or an amniocentesis, AND LIVE BIRTH…….ALL WOMEN SHOULD DEAL WITH IT, I KNOW I HAVE.
Hi, I did the test four times!
1st - girl
2nd - 1st test recalled as a faulty reagent was used
3rd - inconclusive
4th - BOY! only detected at 27wks!
DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY! their website is totally misleading. It doesn’t explain that the male chromozone gets stronger the longer you are pregnant and may not show up until well in your 3rd trimester!
Hi Helen,
My daughter is pregnant and due in April. Did POB
give you a full refund for their misdiagnosis?
Just wondering. My daughter did the test and it said girl and then had an ultrasound and it is saying boy. We’ll see……….
Thanks!
Karen
Hi Karen
I got the kit from a company called DNA Worldwide. The gave me my full refund immediately once POB confirmed to them my results. it’s just a miserable experience and one I recommend no-one goes through!
I retook the test last week and it still said boy. I’m having another Ultrasound tomorrow and will let you know what it says…I’m sure it’s still going to show a girl. The first ultrasound was to conclusive….I went to my bank and disputed the charges,stating that they did not provide the services they promised…I wasn’t going to wait till the baby was born, no way….No males were present when I did either test, these people are just a scam…Dont waist your money……They are a fraud….They know have a 50% chance of guessing right,so worst case scenario, they make 50% of 100%…The odds are still good for them to make money….So take my advice and keep yours…
Hi Tax-diva,
Just wondering if you had your ultrasound today and how did it go? Were you sick with your other daughter? Did you know by an ultrasound with her that she was a girl? Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks
Karen
HELLO EVERYONE, MY ULTRASOUND TODAY CONFIRMED ONCE AGAIN IT’S A GIRL!!!!!!
I HAD 3 BOYS IN A ROW AND WAS NEVER SICK, NEVER HAD SKIN ACNE AND HAD LOTS OF ENERGY. THIS IS HOW I KNEW I WAS PREGNANT WITH A GIRL, EVEN BEFORE THE ULTRASOUND. I PRAYED FOR A GIRL AND GOD AWARDED ME THIS PRECIOUS GIFT.
MY BABY GIRL IS GROWING HEALTHY AND WEIGHS 1/2 LB AT 20 WEEKS. SHE IS DUE APRIL 29, 2008…
PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE POB GENDER PREDICTOR TEST, EVERY DOCTOR OR NURSE I’VE ASKED ABOUT THIS TEST, LAUGHS AND SAYS THERE’S NO WAY TO TELL BY THOSE MEANS.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU….
KAREN, I FORGOT TO MENTION, I HAD MY FIRST DAUGHTER WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD AND NEVER KNEW WHAT SHE WAS TILL SHE WAS BORN. THEY COULD NEVER TELL, BUT SAID IT LOOKS LIKE A GIRL….AFTER HER WAS 3 BOYS IN A ROW (THEY ARE 14,12,10).
BUT WITH HER, I DONT REMEMBER WHAT MY SYMPTOMS WERE LIKE. IT’S HARD TO REMEMBER THAT FAR BACK. I GOT REALLY BIG WITH HER THOUGH….I DONT RECALL GETTING REALLY SICK AND NO SKIN PROBLEMS, BUT I DID GAIN ALOT OF WEIGHT (LIKE IM DOING NOW).
[...] a baby’s sex is by analyzing the mother’s blood for fetal DNA. Two such tests are the Early Baby Gender Mentor and Pink or Blue Early Gender Test. A mother who’s pregnant with a boy is expected to have circulating amounts of Y-chromosome [...]
I can relate i just had an ultrasound that said i am now 13 weeks and the tech said it looked like i am having a girl…and i so excited but i wonder if later it could be a boy?
HOW CONFUSING!!
My niece was the mother of a precious baby boy and a year later she had another baby. The ultrasound showed it was a girl, so she purchased lots of girl stuff. However, when it came time for her to deliver — she had another boy. She cried because she was looking forward to having a girl, but she loves her little boy very much — of course. Take care, Pat
AMNIOCENTISIS SAYS IM HAVING A BABY BOY, BUT ULTRASOUND STILL STANDS FIRM ON BABY GIRL, SO DOES GENETICS SPECIALIST….WE’RE ALL SURE ITS A GIRL..(THERE’S NO SCROTUM OR PENIS) :))
hiya, im from the uk and ordered the pink or blue test from nimble diagnostics in the uk. they took ages to give me my results and i had to keep emailing them to find out what was going on. i finally got my results and it says its a girl, i would love a girl as i already have two boys. but i am carrying exactly the same as i did with my boys no sickness ect. got to wait 4 or 5 weeks yet for sexing scan so we’ll wait and see, but i really think ive been scamed!
my cousin and I both took the test from nimble diagnostics and it was correct for us (girl for her, boy for me). from what I read on the internet, there are a lot of scam tests being sold by different companies, but this one is an actual DNA test so is always correct
Tax-Diva just wondering if you had your baby yet?
Yes, I actually had him 3 1/2 weeks early due to high blood pressure. It was a boy. exactly what the ultrasound said. the dna said a girl. when are you due?
I am due 9/26/08, pink or blue says I will have a boy. My ultrasound is on Monday. I’ll post the results. Good luck with the baby!!
Hi, I took the POB gender test at 10 weeks and they said it was inconclusive. I retook the test at 11 weeks and they said all four of the test they run were clear girl. Well, I had an ultrasound at 15 weeks and the untrasound technician said she would completely disagree with them she said “that definitely looks like a little boy to me.” So, I am not that great with ultrasounds, but I saw what she saw too. I believe it is a boy. This pregnancy has been completely different than my other two pregnancies, in which, I have two girls. So, I am starting to believe this is a scam. Let me know what you think I should believe because there is part of me that thinks it could still be a girl only because being told you are having a girl and then being told you are having a boy kind of messes with your head. Thank you.
Jamie I would go by what the ultrasound tech said she saw. POB has been wrong with so many other womans test. You can go to http://www.in-gender.com and find tons of customer comments on that web site. I found that site after I ordered the test. I find out on Monday with my ultrasound.
pob said boy at 10 wks, ultrasound yesterday said boy as well.
Well Jenny, I had a Boy on March 23 (he came early due to HBP) Pink or Blue said Boy and Ultrasound said girl…..I was so sure it was a girl, but I felt like It was a boy, and a Boy it is…..Good Luck to all of you…
Hi Tax-Diva,
Congratulations on your healthy baby boy! I was just wondering how come they kept on telling you that your baby was a girl on your ultrasounds and was it a doctor that said that? Also how far along were you when they told you? I was told at 16 weeks that my baby is a girl on the ultrasound because the dr. can’t see a penis or scrotum. I feel like I’m carrying a boy, but the dr. seem so confident. I am still waiting on the results of my amnio. I should know for sure in a week, but just curious. I didn’t do the pink and blue test because I thought it was a scam.
Thanks,
Jamie
I took the POB test at 10 weeks and after having 3 boys ages 15, 12, and 11, the test confirmed I was having a girl! So excited we named her and bought much pink. Ultrasound last week said I am having a boy. How devestating as I feel like I have lost my baby girl. The company should not be allowed to operate when they do this to people. I don’t believe that they have a 95% accuracy rate.
I am 8 weeks pregnant still disputing on having the test, I really need to now, I have three boys, but so far feel as if it is another boy. I am wishing for a for a girl. Do you think i should take the test, quite exspensive.
does anyone think this test is worth doing??? i’m pregnant but i really want to know the sex, i have 2 boys and 1 girl!!! i’d love to even the mumbers
We just received our results back today from POB. It said we are having a girl. We are both so dissapointed (I’ve been crying all day.) Now I’m reading that many women haven’t had the Y chromosome detected till way later in pregnancy??? I’m so confused and don’t know what to do? If I wait for an ultrasound, it may be too late to legally terminate my pregnancy. Are there any women out there who were told they were having a girl by POB but had a boy instead? Just trying to keep my hopes up.
Why do you want to terminate your pregnancy? Please don’t even think about it. You will never be happy in your life again. I was crushed after I found out I was having my second son, and I cannot even explain how I felt like when I heard the words “it’s a boy” for the THIRD time. It hurt so bad, and there was no one who could cheer me up. Of course, I knew everyone was right who said that I was lucky the baby is healthy. I was just devastated. Never had I imagined my life without a daughter, and what would I need three boys for? Finally, I realize how stupid I was. I had to learn that life doesn’t always go my way. It was ridiculous to even take this test. It may not get to you at this point, but please don’t terminate your pregnancy….I’m sure God will reward you, and show you what he showed me.
I agree with Hanna! I was a tiny bit disappointed when I was told my second baby was another boy, but when I learned that my third child was yet another boy I was extremely disappointed and also couldn’t imagine that I was not going to have my little girl. But when our third son was born, all that went away. He was beautiful, healthy and reminded me just how lucky I was to even have one healthy child, much less three. So when we had our fourth child, gender didn’t matter. Yes, another boy! So I am now the mother of four beautiful healthy sons and couldnt imagine it any other way. Please try to be thankful for what you have. There are so many people who would desperately love your “dilemma”. Think of how many couples struggle for years and never even have one child. Try to keep things in perspective!
Hi all! I think this testing is a terrible ploy. Yes it works sometimes, but what about the times it is wrong? I am pregnant for the LAST time……number six. I am about 8 weeks along and am defiantly hoping for a girl. I already have five boys and think a girl would be a nice change. I am fine with another boy though. I will not waste my money on this type of test as you can’t undo what is done anyway, at least in my book. I will say though after five boy pregnancies this one feels very different. I will keep my fingers crossed, and hope my husband doesn’t cry too hard when the ultrasound tech says boy
I had the test done at 12 weeks. It said it was a girl. We had the ultrasound this Friday to confirm– only to find out it was a boy! It was a shock since we thought a DNA test would be correct. But it was a pleasant surprise. We have tried to have kids for 10 years so we just want a healthy baby. We had the test done since it was part of the package of genetic testing.
i done the pob test back in march trough a company called nimble diagnostics, who are a specialist dna company. they told me i was having a girl, and after 2 boys they were right! i had my little girl a couple of weeks ago, i feel very lucky and privaliged to have her! try and go through a proper registered company who specialize in dna to reduce the risk of being scamed. they do get it right if you use the right people, do lots of research thats what id recommend.
Hello Forum! Congratulations to those who are pregnant, those with new children; and to those trying… keep it up! I am sure that soon you will be there, too. I am the VP of Marketing and Sales for Consumer Genetics – The Pink or Blue Early DNA Gender Testing Company (www.tellmepinkorblue.com), and a proud father of 3 young girls (5, 3, and 19 months). I have wanted to participate in this very important forum for the past year. I would like to answer questions and provide additional information as I will think fitting to these Forums.
There is one item that I believe is very important and probably not well understood by consumers of the Pink or Blue Early DNA Gender Test;
The Pink or Blue DNA Gender Test is 95% accurate in the hands of the consumer, which means that for every 100 tests the company does, 5 will be wrong. However, it is the most accurate gender test in the market, today. And the company is diligently working to increase the accuracy of the test. The test does rely on a DNA testing technology that is affected by i) a the limitations of a very sensitive test that is determining the presences of very small quantities of male-specific DNA in dried maternal blood spots, and ii) external variables such as the presence of male cells in maternal blood, contamination of male DNA during collection, and variability of male-specific DNA in woman pregnant with male children.
Although the DNA Gender Test is limited due to these conditions, it is still the most accurate and reliable test on the market, demonstrating greater than 95% accuracies.
Consumer Genetics does have a very sound method for predicting gender, and we are working to make the test even more informative, reliable and accurate.
If anyone has questions or would like to discuss this in greater detail, I am happy to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Terry Carmichael
VP – Marketing & Sales
Consumer Genetics - The Pink or Blue® Early DNA Gender Testing Company
http://www.ConsumerGenetics.com
Hi Tax-Diva,
Congratulations on your healthy baby boy! I was just wondering how come they kept on telling you that your baby was a girl on your ultrasounds and was it a doctor that said that? Also how far along were you when they told you? I was told at 16 weeks that my baby is a girl on the ultrasound because the dr. can’t see a penis or scrotum. I feel like I’m carrying a boy, but the dr. seem so confident. I am still waiting on the results of my amnio. I should know for sure in a week, but just curious. I didn’t do the pink and blue test because I thought it was a scam.
Thanks,
Jamie
Hey guys I am around 7 weeks pregnant according to my menstural cycle… I just ordered the pink or blue gender test and it should arrive in a couple of days Although I do have to wait until october 8th to take the test according to my eligibilty date I am really hoping for a boy i have a little girl already and want to stop after 2 kids but i realy want my boy I really hope this test is as accurate as it says it is but i will keep ya’ll updated.
Thanks,
Brittany