What determines whether a baby is a boy or a girl?

The sex of the baby is determined by the chromosomes. Usually, all of us have 23 pairs of chromosomes. They determine how our body looks like and how it works. They are also the reason we  resemble our parents. The 23rd pair of chromosomes is different in case of males and females. In a woman, these are two X chromosomes, in a man it is one X and one Y chromosome. The egg cell has an X chromosome, the sperm could have either a X or a Y chromosome. If a sperm with a 'Y' chromosome fertilize the egg, then the chromosome combination for the baby would by XY: a boy. If an 'X  sperm' fertilize the egg, the result is XX: a girl. It is clear, therefore, that the sex of the baby is determined by the father.

How does the baby breathe in the uterus?

A baby does not need to breathe in the uterus. Everything that it needs for its growth is provided to it by its supply line: the umbilical cord. This cord connects the blood circulation of the child with that of the mother. The foetus, as the unborn child is called , gets nutrients and oxygen through the umbilical cord. The waste products of the foetus are thrown out into the blood circulation of the mother and are excreted by the mother. After the birth of the baby, the umbilical cord is no longer required and is cut off .

Why are some babies disabled at birth ?

The causes of disabilities are  many and cannot always be explained. We do know that a lack of oxygen at birth can cause damages to the brain. If the mother smokes or takes drugs during pregnancy, it can have serious consequences because the drug reaches the blood circulation of the child via the umbilical cord. Sometimes, there may be genetic changes which may cause disabilities. For instance, an change in the 21st chromosome, cause Down syndrome in the child. It is important to ensure that people with disabilities are not discriminated against in our society.