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4. How is the sex of the child determined in human beings ?

Answer»

Sex determination is a mechanism which determines the individual to be a male or a female based on the sex chromosomes present in it.

Sex chromosomesin sperms determine the baby’s gender. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell. A pair of chromosome forms the sex chromosomes. Males carry XY and females carry XX chromosomes. Reproductive cells give rise to gametes by the division of meiosis. A gamete is a mature reproductive cell - a sperm or an ovum.

If a sperm carrying X fertilises the ovum with X chromosome, then the resulting baby is a girl.

If a sperm carrying Y chromosome fertilises the ovum with X chromosome, then the resulting baby is a boy.

Hence males are responsible for the gender of the newly formed babies. Gender determination of an unborn baby is considered illegal in India.



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