Gender disappointment

“Is it a boy or a girl!?” 

Some parents experience sadness, distress, and feelings of shame when their baby’s gender does not match their preferences and expectations. In this episode, Lynsey and Chrissy discuss the individual, social, and cultural aspects of gender preference and gender disappointment. 

If you would like to learn more about this topic, you can read Chrissy’s open-access paper here: ‘It's a girl!’ Is gender disappointment a mental health or sociocultural issue? | BJPsych Bulletin

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health difficulties, please know that there is lots of help available. You can contact your primary care provider in the first instance, or if you are based in the UK the NHS perinatal mental health website will help you to find support in your local area.