Predicting what your baby will look like isn’t that tough with a little bit of information about mom and dad.
Try it out by making selections in Experienced Mommy’s Baby Predictor and click “See Results”!
If you have questions about the choices or how things are calculated, read on and feel free to comment.
Genetics Accuracy
For nearly all traits, the Experienced Mommy’s Baby Predictor outputs several possibilities along with how likely each one may be. You may be wondering why we can’t tell you exactly what traits your baby will have. There are two main reasons for this.
First of all, despite what you learned about Mendelian genetic inheritance in high school biology, very few traits are determined by only a single gene. Most traits, also called phenotypes, are polygenic traits. Even simple characteristics, like eye color, can have dozens of different genes that play a role. This makes it very complicated to make exact predictions, since we would have to know both parents’ gene variants for all of these different genes.
The second reason is that many traits are influenced by both genes and the environment. For example, while your DNA plays a role in determining how tall you will grow, this can also differ depending on other factors such as nutrition. For that reason, we can’t know for sure how tall someone will be just based on their genes alone.
Certain populations related by ethnicity, ancestory or geographic location also tend to share common genetic characteristics. Because of commonly shared genetics a population may have a greater or lesser tendency toward a particular trait than the typical average.
Despite the uncertainty, there is extensive statistical data that makes it possible to suggest probabilities. For example, if both parents have blue eyes, your baby is very likely to have blue eyes as well, so the calculator gives a 99% chance of this. However, it’s still possible that your baby will not have blue eyes! Our calculator can tell you what’s likely to happen, but not what’s certain to happen.
The Role of Epigenetics
Beyond traditional genetics, we now understand that epigenetics plays a crucial role in trait expression. Epigenetic modifications are chemical tags that attach to DNA and affect how genes are expressed without changing the underlying DNA sequence. These modifications can be influenced by environmental factors like diet, stress, and even experiences during pregnancy. Remarkably, some epigenetic changes can be passed down through generations, meaning that your grandparents’ experiences might influence your baby’s traits in subtle ways. This adds another layer of complexity to trait prediction that we’re only beginning to understand.
Baby Eye Color Calculator
What Color Will My Baby’s Eyes Be?
It’s hard to be certain! Scientists used to think that eye color was controlled by a single gene that controlled the production of melanin. Melanin is the pigment that determines your eye color: people with more melanin have brown eyes, while people with less melanin have blue or green eyes. However, we now know that at least 10 different genes are involved in melanin production, making it nearly impossible to predict a baby’s eye color based on their parents. That’s why the Experienced Mommy’s Baby Predictor tells you the probability of each eye color; no one can be 100% sure.
Recent research has identified two major genes – OCA2 and HERC2 – that account for about 74% of eye color variation. The HERC2 gene contains a region that controls whether the OCA2 gene is turned on or off. When OCA2 is turned off, less melanin is produced, resulting in blue eyes. However, many other genes contribute smaller effects, creating the beautiful spectrum of eye colors we see in humans.
Which parent determines the eye color of baby?
The genes that control eye color are not located on a sex chromosome, so both parents contribute equally to the baby’s eye color.
What eye color is dominant?
It’s a common misconception that brown eyes are dominant to blue and green eyes. In reality, it’s much more complicated! Because eye color is controlled by multiple genes, no color is truly dominant over the rest.
What is the rarest eye color?
Green! It’s estimated that only 2% of the world’s population has naturally green eyes. Outside of the “normal” eye colors, there are also rarer colors caused by genetic conditions such as albinism.
Heterochromia: Different Colored Eyes
Heterochromia, where a person has two different colored eyes or patches of different colors within one eye, occurs in less than 1% of the population. This fascinating condition can be inherited, caused by genetic mosaicism, or acquired due to injury or disease. Complete heterochromia (two different colored eyes) is often inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, while sectoral heterochromia (patches of different colors in one eye) can result from random developmental variations. Famous examples include actress Kate Bosworth and the late David Bowie (though his was acquired from an injury).
Can brown-eyed parents have a blue-eyed baby?
Yes! Because eye color is controlled by several different genes, it is entirely possible (though unlikely) for brown-eyed parents to have a blue-eyed baby. Conversely, blue-eyed parents can also have a brown-eyed baby.
Are all babies born with grey eyes?
Not always: babies of African or Asian descent are often born with dark eyes. However, it’s true that many Caucasian babies are born with blue or grey eyes that darken over time. This is because melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment in your eyes, are activated by light. When a newborn is exposed to light for the first time at birth, their melanocytes start producing a dark pigment called melanin, which takes several months to build up. Your baby’s eyes should reach their final color by the time he or she is six to nine months old.
What is the most attractive eye color?
According to one study, blue-eyed men tend to find blue-eyed women more attractive, while brown-eyed men have no preference. Women also seem to have no eye color preference.
What is the cause of amber colored eyes?
Amber irises have a low amount of melanin and a comparatively high level of lipochrome.
How rare are purple eyes?
Back in 2005, there was an internet myth about mysterious, pale-skinned people with purple eyes. This has been thoroughly debunked. There is no documented proof of a person with naturally purple eyes. Even actress Elizabeth Taylor, whose beautiful violet eyes were admired by many, actually had dark blue eyes that were made to look purple by her makeup and clothing.
Is is true that everyone really has brown eyes?
Technically, yes! Everyone’s iris (the colored area surrounding the pupil) is some shade of brown, depending on how much melanin you have (darker brown means more melanin). However, if you have less melanin, an optical illusion called the Tyndall effect causes your eyes to appear blue or green. This is similar to why the sky appears blue!
Why are hazel eyes so hard to predict?
You may have noticed that our Baby Predictor is less certain of your baby’s eye color when either parent has hazel eyes. This is because hazel is intermediate between green eyes and brown eyes. As a result, a person with hazel eyes has some gene variants that increase the chance of brown eyes, and other gene variants that increase the chance of green or blue eyes. Since any of these variants are equally likely to be passed down, a parent with hazel eyes can have a baby with a variety of possible eye colors.
Do black or grey eyes exist?
Eyes that appear black are actually very dark brown due to expressing high levels of the pigment melanin. This is common among people from eastern Asia.
In contrast, grey eyes appear to be distinct from other colors. Like blue eyes, grey eyes have very little melanin, causing them to appear light in color. However, grey-eyed people have more of a protein called collagen in their eyes. This changes the way that light reflects from their eyes, resulting in a grey appearance. Grey eyes are fairly rare, but have been observed in people from Northern and Eastern Europe.
Relationship of Eye Color to Personality
There have been extensive studies performed on the relationship between iris color and personality traits (another here). For example, one study showed that Caucasian women with light-colored eyes, blue and green, tolerate pain better than Caucasian women with darker colored eyes.
What Color Hair Will My Baby Have?
What color will my baby’s hair be?
Hair color is impossible to predict with certainty because it’s controlled by dozens, or possibly even hundreds, of different genes. If both parents have blonde hair, then your baby is more likely to also be blonde, but it’s also possible that he or she could have dark hair.
What determines hair color?
Just like eye and skin color, hair color is determined by a pigment called melanin. Most people’s hair contains a form of melanin called eumelanin, which is dark brown in color. People with lots of eumelanin have black or brown hair, while people with less melanin have blonde hair.
Many different genes play a role in determining how much melanin your hair will contain. If you’re a redhead, your hair contains an entirely different kind of melanin called pheomelanin. Most redheads have a mutant form of a gene called MCR1. As a result, two redheaded parents are very likely (though not certain) to have children with red hair as well.
The Genetics of Red Hair
Red hair is the rarest natural hair color, occurring in only 1-2% of the global population. The MC1R gene, often called the “ginger gene,” has over 30 known variants that can cause red hair. Interestingly, you need two copies of a red hair variant (one from each parent) to have red hair yourself. This means that two brown-haired parents who each carry one copy of a red hair variant have a 25% chance of having a red-haired child. The MC1R gene also affects skin pigmentation, which is why redheads often have fair skin, freckles, and increased sensitivity to UV radiation.
Is brown or blonde hair dominant?
Hair color is controlled by many different genes, so no color is truly dominant.
Do babies’ hair change color?
It’s fairly common for babies’ hair to change color or texture as they grow. According to one study of 232 white European children, hair color tends to darken in the first few months of life, then grow lighter during the toddler years, and then darken to its final shade by the age of 5.
Which parent does the hair gene come from?
The genes controlling hair color and texture are contributed equally by both parents.
Is curly hair a dominant trait?
Just like hair color, hair color is controlled by multiple different genes. As a result, neither curly hair nor straight hair is dominant.
Can parents with straight hair have a child with curly hair?
Yes! While straight-haired parents are more likely to have a straight-haired baby, it’s also entirely possible for their baby to be born with curly hair. Similarly, two parents with curly hair can have a straight-haired baby.
What makes your hair curly?
Hair texture is determined by how your hair follicles are shaped. Round follicles produce straight hair, while more oval-shaped follicles produce wavy or curly hair. It’s kind of like dragging a pair of scissors along a ribbon to make it curl: an oval-shaped follicle puts pressure on the growing hair and makes it curly!
What is the difference between curly hair and wavy hair?
If your hair follicles are only slightly oval-shaped, your hair will be under less pressure and thus will be wavy. But if your follicles have a more extreme oval shape, your hair will turn out more curly.
What are the different hair types?
Celebrity hairstylist Andre Walker came up with the curl type classification system. This system groups hair texture into four different types: Type 1 (straight), Type 2 (wavy), Type 3 (curly), and Type 4 (kinky).
You can find a baby hairbrush for all types of hair with our guide here at Experienced Mommy.
What Skin Color Will My Baby Have?
Skin color is another genetically complicated phenotype. The relative lightness and darkness of skin color is related to the quantity of melanin polymer secreted into the skin. This means that generally speaking that babies end up with a shade of skin color that represents the mix of genes inherited maternally and paternally.
Although the skin color can’t be predicted exactly, a blend of the parent’s skin tones is the most likely result. However, there are many examples of bi-racial couples having children with very different skin color from each other.
Skin appearance and function is also affected by a single gene, melanocortin 1 which regulates freckling and sun sensitivity. It is believed that melanin levels adapted to increase vitamin D production in areas of low ultraviolet light and increase skin protection in high ultraviolet light intensity areas such as the Sahara desert.
The Genetics Behind Skin Color
Recent genetic studies have identified over 100 genes that influence skin color, with SLC24A5, SLC45A2, TYR, OCA2, and HERC2 being among the most significant. These genes work together in complex ways to determine the amount and type of melanin produced in the skin. Interestingly, the genetic variants that cause lighter skin in European populations are different from those that cause lighter skin in East Asian populations, demonstrating convergent evolution – where similar traits evolved independently in different populations.
Will Baby’s Skin Get Darker After Birth?
Yes. At birth skin is often purple which changes to red as baby begins to breathe oxygen. The redness tends to go away in the first day. Yellowish skin in newborns may be caused by jaundice which occurs in half of all baby births. Although jaundice is common, it may need to be treated if it persists or is severe.
After birth melanocyte skin cells increase their production of the pigment melanin and skin can get darker. Skin color reaches its “normal” tone by 6 months. But skin color never stops changing entirely.
Can a white person have a black baby or a black person have a white baby?
Yes. Because skin color is influenced by genes passed along from mom and dad, recessive genes in both parents may result in a baby with skin color that is quite different than their parents. However, this is quite rare. One unique case is the Dean twins. One girl is dark the other light and their parents are Caucasian and African American.
Is Ear Color Related to Skin Color?
Some people believe that ear color is sometimes an indication of a baby’s future skin color. Often the tops of a baby’s ears are a darker color. The baby’s final skin color may end up being the same as the tops of their ears when they were infants. We are not aware that this observation has been studied scientifically.
What is Albinism?
Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized low levels of the melanin pigment and resulting in light skin, hair and eye color and frequently, visual impairment. Parents of any race can have children affected by albinism. In fact, sub-Saharan Africans have the highest current incidence of albinism.
Variation in Skin Color of Africans
Scientists have noted extreme variations in the color of skin across ethnicities on the African continent. A University of Pennsylvania study found that a series of specific genes that influence melanin and eumelanin production.
Height Prediction: How Tall Will My Baby Be?
What determines height?
Height is one of the most heritable traits, with genetics accounting for about 80% of the variation in adult height. Scientists have identified over 700 genetic variants that influence height, making it one of the most polygenic traits studied. However, the remaining 20% is influenced by environmental factors, particularly nutrition during childhood and adolescence.
Can you predict adult height from parents?
While we can’t predict exact adult height, there are formulas that provide reasonable estimates. The most common is the mid-parental height calculation:
– For boys: (Mother’s height + Father’s height + 5 inches) ÷ 2
– For girls: (Mother’s height + Father’s height – 5 inches) ÷ 2
This gives you the average expected height, but your child could be up to 4 inches taller or shorter than this prediction due to genetic variation and environmental factors.
Growth patterns and genetics
Interestingly, different genes control growth at different life stages. Some genes primarily affect prenatal growth, others influence growth during infancy, and still others control the timing and intensity of the adolescent growth spurt. This is why siblings can have very different growth patterns but end up at similar adult heights.
Freckles and Birthmarks
Will my baby have freckles?
Freckles are strongly influenced by both genetics and sun exposure. The MC1R gene (the same one responsible for red hair) plays a major role in freckling. People with certain variants of this gene are more likely to develop freckles, especially when exposed to sunlight. If both parents have freckles, your baby has a high chance of developing them too, though they typically don’t appear until after age 2 when children start having more sun exposure.
What about birthmarks?
Birthmarks are generally not inherited, despite their name. Most birthmarks occur randomly during fetal development. Common types include:
– Café-au-lait spots: Light brown marks that can appear anywhere on the body
– Mongolian spots: Blue-grey marks common in babies with darker skin tones
– Stork bites: Pink marks on the back of the neck or eyelids
– Port-wine stains: Reddish-purple marks caused by abnormal blood vessels
While isolated birthmarks are usually random, multiple café-au-lait spots can sometimes indicate genetic conditions like neurofibromatosis, which is inherited.
Blood Type Calculator
How is blood type inherited?
Blood type is one of the few traits that follows relatively simple Mendelian inheritance. The ABO blood type is determined by a single gene with three variants: A, B, and O. You inherit one variant from each parent:
– AA or AO = Type A blood
– BB or BO = Type B blood
– AB = Type AB blood
– OO = Type O blood
The Rh factor (positive or negative) is controlled by a separate gene, with Rh-positive being dominant over Rh-negative.
Can blood type skip generations?
Unlike some traits, blood type cannot skip generations. However, two parents with type A blood (who are both AO) can have a child with type O blood (OO), which might seem surprising if the grandparents all had type A blood.
Earlobe Prediction
Will my baby’s earlobes be attached or free?
Maybe you’re catching on to a trend by now. Like nearly every physical trait, earlobe shape is controlled by several different genes, so it’s impossible to predict with absolute certainty. In fact, many people have earlobes that are somewhere in between attached and free. Two parents with attached earlobes are more likely to have a baby with attached earlobes, and vice versa, but nothing is certain.
Which earlobe shape is dominant?
Earlobe shape is controlled by at least 49 different genes, so neither shape is dominant.
What are earlobes for?
It’s possible that earlobes might help to keep the ears warm by increasing their blood supply. But it’s generally accepted that earlobes have no biological function. Did you know that people with slightly uneven earlobes are rated as better leaders?
Widows Peak: Will My Baby Have One?
What is a widow’s peak?
A widow’s peak is a V-shaped point at the center of your hairline.
Will my baby have a widow’s peak?
Very little research has been done on the genetics of widow’s peaks, so it’s tricky to make predictions. It’s probably controlled by several different genes, so while two parents with a widow’s peak will be more likely to have a baby with a widow’s peak too, it’s also possible that the baby could have a perfectly straight hairline.
Cleft Chin: Will My Baby Have One?
What is a cleft chin?
A cleft chin (also called a “chin dimple”) has puckered skin at its midline, while people with a smooth chin have no pucker. In fact, many people lie somewhere on a spectrum between a fully smooth or cleft chin.
Will my baby have a cleft chin?
Currently, there’s not much research about how to predict a cleft chin. However, one small study from the 1960s reported that two cleft-chinned parents have a 91% chance of having a baby with a cleft chin, suggesting that it’s strongly influenced by genetics. So it’s likely (though not certain) that your baby’s chin will look like yours!
Are cleft chins dominant?
Cleft chins are probably controlled by several different genes, so neither chin shape is fully dominant. However, cleft chins do seem to be at least partially dominant over smooth chins.
Dimples: Will My Baby Have Dimples?
What are dimples?
Dimples are small indentations on the cheeks. They often appear when you’re smiling.
Will my baby have dimples?
There’s very little research about whether dimples are inherited. In fact, many babies are born with dimples that later fade away as the baby fat in their cheeks disappears. Babies can also be born without dimples and develop them later in life. That being said, dimples do tend to run in families, so if both parents have dimples, there’s a good chance that your baby will too!
Additional Traits to Consider
Fingerprint patterns
While the specific details of fingerprints are unique to each individual (even identical twins have different fingerprints!), the general patterns – loops, whorls, and arches – are influenced by genetics. The formation of fingerprints is also affected by factors in the womb, including amniotic fluid flow and the baby’s position, which is why they’re truly unique.
Handedness: Left or Right?
Whether your baby will be left or right-handed is only partially determined by genetics. Studies of twins suggest that genetics accounts for about 25% of handedness determination. Interestingly, two right-handed parents have about a 9% chance of having a left-handed child, while two left-handed parents have about a 26% chance of having a left-handed child.
Nose shape
Nose shape is highly polygenic and is one of the most distinctive family traits. Recent research has identified several genes that influence nose width, pointiness, and profile. Because so many genes are involved, children often have noses that blend features from both parents, though sometimes a distinctive family nose shape can persist through generations.
About Dominant and Inherited Traits
What do you inherit from your parents?
Every cell in your body contains 23 unique chromosomes. Each chromosome has 2 copies, bringing the total to 46. One copy of every chromosome is inherited from your mother, and the other copy is inherited from your father. Since egg and sperm cells have only one copy of each chromosome, they have a random chance of receiving the maternal or paternal version of each one, which is then passed down to your baby.
Genetic recombination: Mixing it up
Before eggs and sperm are formed, your chromosomes undergo a process called recombination or “crossing over.” During this process, matching chromosomes from your mother and father literally swap sections of DNA. This means that the chromosomes you pass to your children are actually a patchwork of your parents’ DNA, which is why siblings (except identical twins) are genetically unique even though they have the same parents.
Do you get more DNA from your mother or father?
You inherit about half of your genes from each parent. However, there is a special type of DNA that comes only from your mother: mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondria, famously called the “powerhouse of the cell,” are in charge of energy production, and they have their own DNA that’s completely separate from the rest of your genes. All of a baby’s mitochondria come from the egg cell, so as a result, all your mitochondrial DNA is from your mother.
Y chromosome inheritance
While mitochondrial DNA comes only from mothers, the Y chromosome is inherited only from fathers to sons. This makes the Y chromosome useful for tracing paternal lineages. However, the Y chromosome is much smaller than other chromosomes and contains relatively few genes, mostly related to male development and fertility.
What are inherited traits?
Inherited traits are influenced by your DNA, and as a result, they can be passed down from parents to children. Some traits are fully inherited, including certain kinds of genetic diseases. However, nearly all traits are partially inherited and partially influenced by the environment. For example, while your genes play a major role in determining your height, it can also be influenced by outside factors such as nutrition.
What are dominant and recessive traits?
A dominant trait only requires one copy to be visible, while recessive traits require two copies. Let’s look at lactose intolerance as an example. People with lactose intolerance experience digestive problems when they consume dairy. Lactose intolerance is a recessive trait, meaning that you need to inherit this trait from both of your parents in order to experience it. In contrast, polydactyly (having extra fingers or toes) is a dominant trait. You only need to inherit a copy from one of your parents in order to have polydactyly.
Modern Genetic Testing and Trait Prediction
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing
Companies now offer genetic testing that can provide information about trait inheritance. While these tests can identify some genetic variants associated with traits like eye color or height, they’re still limited in their predictive power for most complex traits. Remember that these tests analyze only a fraction of the genetic variants that influence traits, and they can’t account for environmental factors or epigenetic modifications.
Polygenic risk scores
Scientists are developing polygenic risk scores that combine information from many genetic variants to predict traits. While these are becoming more accurate for some traits like height, they’re still far from perfect. For most physical traits, family history (looking at parents and grandparents) remains one of the best predictors.
Conclusion: Embracing the Beautiful Uncertainty
While we can make educated guesses about many of your baby’s traits based on genetics, the complex interplay of multiple genes, environmental factors, and random developmental variation means that each baby is truly unique. This uncertainty is part of the magic of human genetics – even with all our scientific knowledge, every baby brings their own surprises.
The probabilities provided by our calculator represent the current best estimates based on population genetics research, but remember that they’re just probabilities. Your baby might be the one who defies the odds! Whether your little one has mom’s eyes, dad’s hair, or a completely unexpected combination, they’ll be perfect just the way they are.
As a geneticist and a parent myself, I find the unpredictability of trait inheritance to be one of the most fascinating aspects of human biology. Each child is a unique experiment in genetic recombination, shaped by both their DNA inheritance and their environment. Enjoy the journey of discovery as you watch your baby’s traits emerge and develop over time!
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