What Chromosome Pair Determines The Sex Of The Baby

What Chromosome Pair Determines The Sex Of The Baby ?

The father plays a very significant role as far as determining sex of the child is concerned. In fact, the mother has no role to play in this at all. This is how the sex of the child is established.

Each cell in a human being has a total of 46 chromosomes, numbered and arranged in 23 pairs. The last pair is responsible in determining the sex of the child. The other 22 pairs have genes that determine the color and texture of the skin, hair and eyes i.e. inherited features. They provide instructions for how we grow and develop.

In men, the last pair of chromosomes, that is, the 23rd pair splits into single chromosomes called X and Y. In women, the 23rd pair splits into single chromosomes called X and X. When conception takes place, if the x chromosome of the sperm cell merges with the X chromosome of the mother, then the fetus is a female. On the other hand, if the Y chromosome of the father merges with the X chromosome of the mother, the fetus is a male. Thus, it is amply clear that the father is fully responsible for the sex of a child.

Since the parents contribute randomly to each new child, every child inherits an entirely distinguishing set of chromosomes. As a result, each child will have a distinctive combination of traits. Some would resemble the father; others, the mother; still others would be unique, a product of the new combination of chromosomes.

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What Chromosome Pair Determines The Sex Of The Baby