Baby Boys and Big Appetites

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that pregnant women tend to have larger appetites when they are carrying a boy. Why would the sex of the fetus impact the appetite of the mother-to-be?

Most pregnant women have larger appetites than usual during pregnancy. But their appetites may be even larger if they are carrying a boy. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health tracked more than two hundred pregnant women in the last weeks of pregnancy and first weeks of motherhood. They found that women carrying boys consumed about 200 more calories per day (about a 10 percent increase in their daily caloric intake) than woman who were carrying girls. However, the women did not gain more weight than their girl-carrying counterparts. Consequently, researchers believe there is an especially strong communication between boy and mother that says "feed me!" loud and clear, long before birth

Furthermore, it is known that boys tend to weigh more than girls at birth -- about 3 ½ ounces more on average. All those extra calories may simply be a response to the extra nutritional needs of the male fetus. This research may prove helpful in the future when more studies are conducted on how nutrition received in the womb can have long-term health consequences during the life of the child.

Resources:

Read an article about the study on the CBS News website.

WebMD also discusses the study, and lists specific foods that were eaten in greater quantity by women pregnant with boys, than those pregnant with girls.

Nutrition is a primary factor in the health of a mother and her baby. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services answers many frequently asked questions about pregnancy and nutrition.

October 4, 2003