Reading comprehension
Gender selection – the choosing of a baby’s gender prior to birth – occurs in many parts of the
world. In China and India, for example, a baby’s gender is considered to be of vital importance to
the family, and male babies are often preferred over females for cultural reasons. In western
countries as well, there are many reasons why a family might want to choose a baby’s sex. Often
parents wish to have a mix of both boys and girls in the family. There are also health reasons for
gender selection: many diseases affect children of only one sex and a family that is susceptible to
these diseases may wish to choose a baby’s gender to avoid having an affected child.
This demand for gender choice for parents has led scientists worldwide to investigate gender
selection prior to conception. Conventional wisdom states that the father’s sperm is the main
determinant of the child’s gender, but recent research has begun to reveal a number of other
possible factors.
Elissa Cameron’s 2007 research at the African University of Pretoria investigated the effects of diet
on sex rations at birth. In one experiment, she changed the blood sugar level of female mice prior
to conception by putting a chemical in the animals’ water. Mice that received the additive saw their
blood sugar levels fall from 6.47 to 5.24 millimols/litre. A separate control group of mice received
pure water, without the additive. After a few days, the two groups of mice were allowed to mate. In
the control group, 41% of the mice were born female, as compared to 47% in the group that
received the additive – a disparity that Dr Cameron ascribed to the differences in the mothers’
blood sugar levels.
Interestingly, the idea that blood sugar levels affect a baby’s sex follows traditional wisdom. It has
long been believed that mothers should eat more red meat and salty foods – which raise blood
sugar for a long period – if they want to have a boy; they are advised to eat chocolates and sweets
– which raise blood sugar levels for a short time only – if they want a girl.
Another researcher in this field, Fiona Matthews of the University of Exeter, England, has come up
with further evidence in support of the effect of diet on the sex of the unborn child. Her study
followed 740 pregnant women who kept detailed records of their diets before conception. Her study
found that mothers who consumed high-energy foods prior to conception were slightly more likely
to have boys. The food with the greatest effect seemed to be breakfast cereals, which tend to be
high in energy and often high in sodium content as well. Among women eating cereals on a daily
basis, 59% had boys, compared with 43% of women who ate less than one bowl of breakfast
cereal per week. These results are said to echo those seen in other animals, for example horses
and cows, which statistically bear more males when well-fed.
The eating habits of women in rich western countries could explain the slight fall in male births that
has been reported over the past several years. In the UK, male births are falling by 1 per 1,000
births per year. This could be ascribed to the decline in the number of adults and adolescent girls
eating breakfast on a regular basis. In addition, the popularity of low-calorie diets for females of
child- bearing age could also be a factor contributing to the reduction in male births.
The recent decline in male births in western countries appears to make sense if one looks at it from
an evolutionary standpoint. Historically, more boys tend to be born in times of food plenty, while
females tend to be born in times of scarcity. One explanation is that when food is scarce, it is better
for the survival of the species for female children to be born – as one male can father offspring by
many females. Lower-calorie diets among western women could be biologically echoing the effects
of scarcity – hence, the decline in male births.
So what can we conclude from this complicated picture? If you would like to have a son, it might be
a good idea to eat breakfast that includes cereal. On the other hand, if you would prefer to give
birth to a daughter, then cut out breakfast and continue a weight reduction diet at least until after
conception.
1. Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
Write:
1 Mothers in India eat cereals for breakfast so that they will have male babies not given
2 New drugs have been developed that allow parents to choose the sex of their child. not given
3 People used to think that the father was responsible for the sex of the baby. true
4 Elissa Cameron used both humans and mice in her research.false
5 The majority of research on gender selection is happening in Europe. false
6 People in the United Kingdom often do not eat breakfast. true
7 Some people think that drinking tea has an effect on the sex of a baby. not given
8 High-calorie diets have been shown to increase the likelihood of female births.false
2. Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-K, below.
9 Elissa Cameron
10 In western countries, gender selection
11 Fiona Matthews
12 Evolution seems to support
13 Eating breakfast cereal on a daily basis.
3. Which of the following is most suitable title for the passage? Choose the correct
letter, A, B, C, D or E.
A Eating cereal is Good for Pregnant Women
B Research Says Mice Make Better Mothers
C Diet May Influence the Sex of Your Baby
D Asian Research Influences Western Medicine
E GenderSelectionResearchSparksScientificDebate
