"Is the Trending Fetal Test Cup Online Capable of Predicting Babys Gender?"

Legend

"The Pregnancy Test Cup" can supposedly determine the gender of an unborn child. "Don't even bother going to the hospital, just buy a Pregnancy Test Cup and try it out," said Ms. Zhang, who had just been pregnant for two months. Both she and her family were eager to find out whether she was carrying a boy or a girl. However, as hospitals do not perform gender tests, they decided to take matters into their own hands. They learned about a Pregnancy Test Cup, allegedly manufactured in the USA, and were eager to give it a try. A quick search on Baidu led them to a specialized purchasing website for this product, named "EasyWin Pregnancy Gender Test Cup." It claimed to be able to determine the gender of the fetus as early as 10 weeks into pregnancy, and was priced at 698 yuan. The online description stated that its working principle was similar to urine analysis, requiring the use of the first morning urine mixed with certain chemicals to reveal the gender of the unborn baby. The earliest testing period was said to be 10 weeks into pregnancy (or 6 weeks after the last menstrual period), and the test was touted as simple and quick, providing results in just 10 minutes. The color of the test cup would indicate the gender, with green signifying a boy and orange signifying a girl.

Individual Case

Despite the initial excitement of a positive test result indicating a boy, Ms. Zhang eventually gave birth to a girl. Further investigation revealed that the Pregnancy Test Cup was originally known as "Gender Prediction Kit" and had a dedicated sales website, which is now closed. Only specialized purchasing websites and online posts remain. Many people have tried it out with varying degrees of success and skepticism. One user shared her experience of using the Gender Prediction Kit but found it to be inaccurate, warning potential buyers to be cautious. A woman from Xi'an recounted her disappointment after the test predicted a boy, leading to joy throughout the family, only to be met with the reality of a baby girl. Another user tested at 11 weeks but found the color to be neither orange nor green, making it impossible to determine the gender. They sent photos to customer service twice, only to receive conflicting results - once a boy and once a girl. Some netizens advised against placing too much faith in such products, reminding that the chances of having a boy or a girl are naturally 50-50.

Expert Opinion

Luo, the director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, expressed skepticism about the Pregnancy Test Cup's effectiveness, emphasizing the need for reliable data to prove its claims. In medicine, fetal gender identification is primarily done through B-ultrasound or genetic testing via chromosome analysis. According to national policy, pregnant women are not allowed to undergo unauthorized gender tests in hospitals. However, the persistent preference for male children remains a societal issue. Luo warned that if the Pregnancy Test Cup were accurate, it could exacerbate gender imbalance in society; if inaccurate, it could be a scam.

Legal Perspective

Zhang Shaochun, a lawyer from the Zhengzhou branch of Tianzhiquan Law Firm, pointed out that according to Article 3 of China's "Regulations on the Prohibition of Non-Medical Fetal Gender Identification and Selective Artificial Termination of Pregnancy," non-medical fetal gender identification and selective termination are prohibited. Conducting gender tests on fetuses violates national family planning policies and falls under the strict supervision of relevant departments. Consumers who find the results to be inconsistent with reality may struggle to protect their rights due to the lack of proper regulation surrounding the sale of such products. Zhang Shaochun advised consumers to consider the consequences before purchasing such products and to be wary of potential scams.