(CNN) -- Expecting moms can determine whether they're carrying a boy or a girl as early as 10 weeks after conception, according to makers of an over-the-counter gender prediction test.


With IntelliGender's home gender prediction test, a urine specimen turns orange if it's a girl. Green is for boys.

IntelliGender, the Plano, Texas, creator of the "Boy or Girl Gender Prediction Test," says scientists isolated certain hormones that when combined with a "proprietary mix of chemicals" react differently if a woman is carrying a boy or a girl.

It claims that within 10 minutes of taking the urine test, a woman will be able to tell her baby's gender. The specimen will turn green if it's a boy, and orange if it's a girl.

IntelliGender would not say what hormones or chemicals it uses it in its test because of a pending patent.

"Most parents have a great degree of curiosity to find out if they're having a boy or a girl, and it can be so excruciating to wait until the 20-week sonogram to find out," IntelliGender co-founder Rebecca Griffin said. "But the test was never meant to be a diagnostic tool. We don't claim 100 percent accuracy."

In fact, the company's Web site specifically says to not "paint the room pink or blue" until an expectant mom confirms results with her doctor.

"We specifically state to all our consumers that they shouldn't make any emotional or financial steps until the results are confirmed via sonogram," the company says.

The gender predictor test boasts a 78 to 80 percent accuracy rate, according to the latest IntelliGender report.



So why are soon-to-be parent be so eager to find out whether their "Sammy" is really a "Suzy" a few months early?

"When a parent can visualize the sex of their baby and confirm they have that little person inside of them, it suddenly becomes real to them," said Jennifer Parks, co-director of Loyola University Chicago's Programs in Health Care Ethics. "They often feel a stronger connection. So, it's not surprising parents would want this test."

But some say the issue could get dicey if the test findings led to a decision about whether to carry on with the pregnancy.

"Say a woman has three daughters and wants to get pregnant one last time to have a baby boy. If she takes the test at 10 weeks, and it's not the sex she wants, she may want to terminate and try again," Parks said.

"Not everyone in America is rabidly pro-choice, or rapidly pro-life; a lot of Americans kind of hang out right in the middle," she added. "At 10 weeks, most Americans see it as the earliest embryo, very different than a more developed fetus."

The makers of the gender prediction test say they "categorically disagree" with the idea their test may prompt an increase in sex-selection abortions.

"I can't even fathom someone making a decision about whether to terminate a pregnancy based on a test informing them they may have a boy or a girl," Griffin said.

IntelliGender says out of "hundreds of thousands" of e-mail inquiries, only two have inquired about using the test as a vehicle for sex-selection.

Anti-abortion groups, already concerned about women opting to keep babies based on hair and eye color, are now worried about gender-selection, too.

"There's a problem that's very prevalent in some countries where boy babies are greatly preferred for cultural reasons and aborting girl babies is very common," said Anthony Lauinger, vice president of National Right to Life.

While the test is available for sale in 11 countries, IntelliGender does not sell the test to India or China.

"All of our retailers have to strictly adhere to that policy. If they don't, we would pull our product immediately from their shelves," Griffin said.

Since 2006, more than 50,000 tests have sold online in the United States. Last month, U.S. drugstore chains CVS and Walgreens, began selling the gender predictor test for $34.95

I would be afraid to risk it Could be detrimental to the baby

I have a 90% correct prediction rate.....I just have to look and sometimes lay my hands on her belly.......

20 year history....90%

How many women? Like are you 9 out of 10 correct?? Or 90 out of 100?

i gave my daughter a tarot reading 3months before she got pg with her youngest daughter and i told her she would be pg in 3months time her reply was no i dont think so...LOL!! she got pg in jan but didnt find out untill march.. from the reading in oct to jan is 3months but march is also the 3rd month... my youngest granddaughter is 3yrs old(she was born on my birthday)

34 out of 40

That's only 85% !!!!

I'd say I'm 50/50 - 50% chance it's a boy and 50% chance it's a girl

How can peeing on a stick be detrimental to the baby? There are far more invasive tests that need to be done that no one thinks twice about

i just thought of something. how can the kit determine TWINS!! did they think of that

I didn't read the whole article so I guess I missed that part. But, yeah, I would think that might put a little twist on things

instant gratification (maybe)

only 35$

what does it matter

why spend 35$ for a 85% possibility of getting the correct info

after all they do say do not count on it being correct

maybe we should make some of these

some have one color on them others have another color

and maybe a few with both (for twins ya know)

and we must but the disclaimer (for entertainment only do not count on accuracy of tis test and we could sell them for 24.98

ya think it would work

heck after a couple million you would have a pretty good bank account

but hey

what do i know

I'll go in halfsies and split the profits with ya

I looked at their web site to see what kind of studies they did prior to marketing and also to look up post-marketing results. When I went to the page for the results, it showed 4 pictures that people had sent in where the results were for a boy and 4 pictures where the results were for a girl.

I did a quick search for any type of studies to determine an accuracy rate and came up with nothing. They do have testimonials on their site, of course.

With the different levels of hormones in a male vs. female body, this could be possible; many, many things are possible, no? this could feasibly be pretty accurate as well.

I agree with one of the previous posters though...there is a 50% chance of having a boy and a 50% chance of having a girl!

I likes math!!!!

I dunno.
A friend of mine had three kids.
One of each.