HealthOrbit, Inc. - News Details

23 Apr 2008-A link between what women eat before conception and the sex of their baby has been found, says research published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, today (Wednesday 23 April 2008).

Researchers at the Universities of Exeter and Oxford show a clear link between a high energy intake before conception and the birth of sons. As well as consuming more calories, women who had sons were more likely to have eaten a higher quantity and wider range of nutrients such as, potassium, calcium and vitamins C, E and B12. There was also a strong correlation between women who ate breakfast cereals and the production of sons.

Dr Fiona Mathews from the University of Exeter, lead author, said: "Potentially, males of most species can father more offspring than females, but this can be strongly influenced by the size or social status of the male, with poor quality males failing to breed at all.

"Females, on the other hand, reproduce more consistently. If a mother has plentiful resources then it can make sense to invest in producing a son because he is likely to produce more grandchildren than would a daughter. However, in leaner times having a daughter is a safer bet."

Source: http://royalsociety.org/

Email this article to your friend



	Search