Question

Write a note on sex determination in an unborn baby.

Answer 1

Sex determination in unborn baby:

1. Sex determination is the system that involves the development of sexual characteristics in an individual.
2. In humans there are generally two sexes, males and females.
3. Following processes are involved in the determination of sex.
4. In human beings there are a total of 46 chromosomes (23 pairs).
5. Out of these 46 chromosomes, 44 are called autosomes (which are the same in both males and females) and only one pair is the sex chromosome, which is responsible for sex determination.
6. Both males and females have 22 pairs of autosomes and two sex chromosomes.
7. The male has one X and one Y sex chromosome and the female has two X chromosomes.
8. A newborn will get one of the X chromosomes from their mother and either X or the Y chromosome from their father.
9. Thus, a child which gets the Y chromosome will be a boy and the one who gets the X chromosome will be a girl.
10. Therefore, the sex chromosomes of the father determine the sex of an unborn baby.