Less tired and sick when you're expecting a boy?

Science says so. According to science, a mother-to-be's immunity and weight gain are not the same if you're expecting a boy or a girl. And what makes researchers say this?

When Expecting a Girl, You Gain Less Weight…

According to a highly credible American study published in  Plos One, if you're expecting a girl, you may gain less weight than if you're having a baby boy. Out of 68 million births studied in the U.S. between 1990 and 2012, 51% of women who gained less than nine kilos gave birth to a girl.

But why do we gain less weight?

Scientists suggest that boys require more nutrients during pregnancy to support their growth and development. As a result, expecting mothers eat more and gain more weight because their baby’s needs are greater. However, let’s be clear—eating less won’t suddenly make you have a girl!

When it comes to weight gain, every woman is different. While the general recommendation is to gain between 11 and 15 kilos during pregnancy, some will gain less, and others a bit more, depending on their body type.

Expecting a girl also makes you more vulnerable

Another study, conducted by researchers from Ohio and published in Brain, found that carrying a girl can make mothers more vulnerable. It triggers different immune responses, making it more likely for moms-to-be to feel fatigued and nauseous. The immune system is also more challenged during pregnancy with a girl.

To prove this, researchers analyzed cytokine levels in pregnant women expecting girls. Cytokines indicate how exposed immune cells are to bacteria—and the answer, in this case, is more!