Q: Is there a way to make a boy?
A: Sperm are either X-carrying or Y-carrying, while the egg is always X-carrying. If an X-carrying sperm fertilizes the egg, it's going to be a girl, if a Y-carrying sperm fertilizes the egg, it's going to be a boy. Thus, the baby's sex is determined by which sperm gets to the egg first. Some people have tried to separate sperm in the laboratory into X-carrying female sperms, and Y-carrying male sperms, with different reports of success. There are also many "wives' tales" out there. One tale says that if a woman sleeps on her left side it's going to be a girl. However none have been proved in rigorous testing to be completely reliable. Some couples swear by a method developed by several researchers and published in a book called "How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby" by Landrum B. Shettles, M.D. This method involves timing strategies of intercourse, female orgasm, using "fresh" and "old" sperm, and intercourse positions to influence which sperm fertilizes the egg, leading, one presumes, to the desired boy or girl.