PINK OR BLUE

If you were pregnant, would you want to find out the baby's gender before giving birth? Expectant mothers who choose to find out the baby's sex may be giving subtle clues about their views on proper gender roles, according to researchers from The Ohio State University in Columbus. Moms-to-be who want to know the baby's gender in advance are more likely to be have a need for perfection when it comes to parenting, while those who want the baby's gender to be a surprise are more open to new experiences and view men and women as being equal. Translation: Women who want to know the baby's gender before his or her birth are more likely to want to have the proper clothes, toys and colors that match traditional gender expectations. That is, pink for a girl and blue for a boy. The study found:
  • Mothers who knew the sex of their child tended to be less educated, have lower household incomes and were less likely to be married than women who did not know. 
  • Women who scored high in "openness to experience" -- suggesting they were curious and independent -- were also less inclined to learn their baby's sex. 
  • Expectant mothers who scored high in parenting perfectionism -- meaning they set unrealistically high standards -- were slightly more likely to find out the sex early. More than other expectant mothers, they may think knowing the child's sex will relieve them of some anxiety during the uncertain pregnancy process. 

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