The science behind SneakPeek®: How noninvasive prenatal DNA testing works vs. other sex prediction methods

Until recently, expectant parents could only rely on anatomy ultrasounds or expensive noninvasive prenatal tests (NIPTs) to learn the sex of their babies. While anatomy ultrasounds are still a commonly used method for determining sex, they’re unable to identify a baby’s sex until around 18 to 20 weeks into pregnancy —that’s halfway through your second trimester!

By this point in your pregnancy, you’ve likely already started picking out decor for your nursery, stockpiling adorable baby onesies, and creating a Pinterest board of your favorite themed baby shower ideas.

Although noninvasive prenatal testing is performed earlier in pregnancy (around 10 to 12 weeks), they’re only covered by insurance if your doctor orders the test because you’re experiencing a high-risk pregnancy. This is because physician-prescribed NIPTs are used primarily to screen for chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome— not to test for sex. If you aren’t experiencing a high-risk pregnancy and your doctor doesn’t order this test, you’d have to pay out of pocket.

That’s why SneakPeek created the SneakPeek Early Gender Test—a noninvasive, at-home gender prediction test that can determine fetal sex sooner.

How does the SneakPeek® Early Gender Test work?

How does this at-home test work?

The SneakPeek® Test examines the cell-free fetal DNA in the parent’s bloodstream, which is what determines the sex of a baby. Since women naturally only have X chromosomes within their blood, SneakPeek Labs tests for the presence of Y chromosomes, which are only found in males. If Y chromosomes are detected within the maternal blood sample, it means that her uterus’s new tenant is a boy. If not, she’s a girl.

The SneakPeek® Early Gender Test today: Earlier results than ever 

Early clinical research demonstrated strong performance beginning at 6 weeks into pregnancy. But science doesn’t stand still—and neither do we. A more recent peer-reviewed clinical study evaluated the SneakPeek Early Gender Test at 6 weeks of gestational age, confirming that reliable results are possible even earlier than previously published.

In a 2021 multi-clinic study conducted across 12 independent U.S. clinics, 113 pregnant participants provided samples at 6 weeks, with follow-up confirmation at 8 weeks and again at their 20-week ultrasound. The results were clear: the SneakPeek Early Gender Test correctly identified the sex of the baby in 113 out of 113 pregnancies at 6 weeks.

That included:

• 48 out of 48 male-bearing pregnancies correctly identified
• 65 out of 65 female-bearing pregnancies correctly identified

Even at 6 weeks—when levels of the baby’s DNA circulating in the parents’ blood can be very low—the test demonstrated the sensitivity needed to detect male DNA accurately. Now, how accurate is the SneakPeek Early Gender Test at 6 weeks? The test is clinically validated for results as early as 6 weeks with over 99% accuracy—so you can know early, love early, and start planning for joy even sooner.

Benefits of learning your baby’s gender early

Pregnancy is an intimate, personal, and life-changing experience. You’re literally growing a tiny human inside your uterus. Before this point, your only interaction with your uterus was likely groaning at it once a month. By learning more about the process of your pregnancy, the incredible capabilities of your body, and the little one living inside of you, you can develop a deeper connection with yourself, as well as your new baby.

So, is it better to know the gender of your baby? In one SneakPeek survey of expectant parents, 51.3% stated that learning the sex of their baby early provided them with a greater sense of agency over their pregnancy.

But there are many reasons you may want to learn your baby’s sex sooner than your second trimester. In a 2019 survey of 1,113 expectant parents, the motivations behind an early sex reveal included:

• Wanting to start shopping for the baby at 78.6%
• Curiosity at 77.5%
• Being able to share the news with family and friends at 54.2%

Imagine being able to announce your pregnancy and the sex of your baby at the same time. Not only can doing so make sharing the news with your partner even more memorable, but it also means you can surprise your family and friends with a gender reveal party even sooner (and we love any excuse for cake—er, we mean, a party).

Learning the sex of your baby early in your pregnancy can also have medical benefits. For instance, knowing whether you’re expecting a little boy or a little girl can help you determine the likelihood of any sex-based genetic disorders, making early sex detection both a personally-satisfying and medically-beneficial choice.

For exclusive insight into your little one, trust SneakPeek

You’ve already waited months to conceive. Why wait a second longer to find out if your little miracle will be a he or a she? With the SneakPeek Early Gender Test, you can quell your curiosity and connect with your baby as early as 67 weeks into your pregnancy. And with the outcome of our latest study, you can feel confident knowing your test result is clinically-proven to be accurate.

Plus, the SneakPeek Early Gender Test can be taken from the comfort of your own home. Choose from one of three different at-home early gender test options, including:

• SneakPeek Gender Snap – Simply pop the patented Snap device onto your arm, and sit while it collects your small sample for you. It’s easy and virtually pain-free!
• SneakPeek Gender Snap FastTrack – With our FastTrack option, we provide the fastest shipping speeds available, and you receive your SneakPeek Early Gender Test result the same day we receive your sample.

Additionally, SneakPeek Clinical offers an early fetal sex test at a doctor’s office for those who prefer a clinical setting. Visit a participating location to have your blood sample collected on-site, and receive results via email the next day, with no extra fuss!

With all the gender reveal planning, nursery decorating, and baby shopping to do, who has time to wait 20 weeks to learn whether they’re having a little boy or a little girl? Find our at-home baby gender test near you, or order online today. Stop waiting, and start celebrating, with SneakPeek.