Pregnancy Cravings and Gender: Complete Guide

Craving sweets means a girl, craving crisps means a boy — it's one of the most repeated old wives' tales in pregnancy folklore. It's a fun bit of speculation to swap with friends and family, but it's worth understanding what's actually driving your cravings before you read too much into them.

The old wives' tale

The classic version of this tale says sweet cravings (chocolate, cake, fruit) point to a girl, while savoury or salty cravings (crisps, chips, pickles) point to a boy. Like most gender folklore — carrying high or low, the shape of your bump, morning sickness severity — it's been passed down for generations without any biological mechanism behind it.

As an old wives' tale, cravings sit at roughly 50% accuracy — the same odds as a coin flip, since there are only two possible outcomes.
It's genuinely fun to guess and compare notes with other pregnant friends, as long as it's treated as entertainment rather than evidence.
Unlike real nub theory, which is based on an actual ultrasound image and becomes more reliable around 12-13 weeks, cravings have no anatomical basis to draw on at all.

What actually causes pregnancy cravings

Pregnancy cravings are extremely common and are driven by a combination of hormonal and physical changes rather than anything to do with the baby's sex:

Rising and fluctuating pregnancy hormones (particularly in the first trimester) can alter your sense of taste and smell, making some foods suddenly more or less appealing.
Nutritional needs increase during pregnancy, and your body may nudge you towards foods that supply energy quickly, such as sugary or carbohydrate-rich snacks.
Nausea can make bland, salty or starchy foods more tolerable than rich or strongly flavoured ones, which is why plain crisps or toast are common early-pregnancy staples.
Some cravings for unusual combinations may simply reflect comfort-seeking during a physically and emotionally demanding time.
Craving non-food items (such as ice, chalk or soil) is called pica and is worth mentioning to your midwife, as it can sometimes be linked to an iron deficiency.

Should cravings guide any decisions?

Cravings themselves are harmless to indulge in moderation, but a few general pregnancy nutrition principles are worth keeping in mind regardless of what you're craving:

Stick to the 400mcg folic acid supplement daily until week 12, and 10mcg vitamin D throughout pregnancy, as advised by the NHS.
Keep caffeine to no more than 200mg a day (roughly two mugs of instant coffee) if you're craving caffeinated drinks.
Avoid alcohol entirely and steer clear of high-risk foods such as unpasteurised soft cheeses, pâté and raw or undercooked eggs and meat.
If a craving pushes you towards eating far more sugar or salt than usual on a regular basis, mention it at your next midwife appointment so they can check in on your overall diet.
If you ever crave and eat non-food substances, tell your midwife promptly rather than waiting for your next routine appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do sweet cravings mean I'm having a girl?

No — there's no scientific link between the type of food you crave and your baby's sex. Cravings are driven by hormonal changes and shifting nutritional needs, not by fetal chromosomes. As an old wives' tale, sweet-versus-salty cravings sit at around 50% accuracy, exactly what you'd expect from chance alone.

What actually causes pregnancy cravings?

Cravings are thought to result from a mix of hormonal fluctuations affecting taste and smell, increased nutritional demands, and nausea steering you towards more tolerable foods. They're extremely common, particularly in the first trimester, and tend to ease as pregnancy progresses for many women, though this varies a lot from person to person.

Is it safe to give in to pregnancy cravings?

Most cravings are perfectly safe to indulge in moderation, as long as the food itself is pregnancy-safe (avoiding things like unpasteurised cheese, raw eggs, and excess caffeine or sugar). If you're regularly craving non-food items, or a craving is making it hard to eat a balanced diet, it's worth flagging to your midwife rather than working through it alone.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice — speak to your midwife if you have concerns about your diet or nutrition in pregnancy.

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