Home> Mum's Home> Pregnancy Myths
Pregnancy is a strange time with many new challenges, it’s understandable to want to have a happy, healthy baby and
because of that you can be more susceptible to the old wives tales and myths that surround pregnancy, we have found that each
one of these myths has a grain of truth but it has just been distorted and is therefore wrong.
1. Eating meat whilst pregnant or before conception can help to get a male
child
Nothing you can do can determine the sex of a child. The gender of your baby is determined by the father; more specifically,
if sperm carrying an X-chromosome fertilizes the egg, the baby will be a girl and if the sperm carrying a Y-chromosome fertilizes
the egg, a boy will result.
2. Bad morning sickness means you’re having a girl.
Most experts believe this is truly a myth. However no one knows exactly why morning sickness (also known as hyperemesis
gravidarum) occurs, though it has long been thought to relate to elevated hormone levels (including progesterone, estrogen
and/or human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG). Which hormone, if any of these, is most important, remains a matter of speculation,
and several other theories have been proposed such as zinc deficiency, genetic factors and psychological factors. At least
one study found that women carrying a female foetus had higher HCG levels than with a male foetus. If true, that could explain
the connection.
3. Raising your arms above your head will get the cord wrapped around the babys neck.
Up to 25 percent of foetuses have the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck; it is the baby’s activity in the womb
and, perhaps, bad luck, not the mother’s activities during pregnancy that determine whether the cord is wrapped around
the baby’s neck.
4. Avoid exercise during pregnancy.
Within the bounds of common sense, there is no recommendation to avoid exercise during pregnancy. Moderate exercise is
not prohibited during pregnancy, and is often recommended. Always check with your health care professional before undertaking
exercise as it is not recommended in a small number of cases.
5. Cats can kill while pregnant.
This myth is close to the truth but still untrue. The recommendation regarding cats during pregnancy is due to toxoplasmosis,
a parasite that can cause serious infections in humans and deformities in the developing foetus. Infection can follow handling
of cat litter because it can be found in the stool of cats, so pregnant women are advised not to handle cat litter. Great,
a nasty job that someone else has to do!.
6. No X-rays avoid microwaves and computer terminals.
While unnecessary radiation exposure should generally be avoided while pregnant, if there is a good reason for an X-ray,
the amount of radiation exposure to the foetus is minimal. There is no evidence that modern microwave ovens or computer terminals
expose women or their foetuses to harmful radiation.
7. No bathing when pregnant.
There is no well-established risk known to be associated with bathing during pregnancy. The water should not be too hot
and you must be careful what products you use. But there may be times to avoid bathing altogether, for example, if your water
has broken or there is bleeding.
8. Spicy foods can trigger labour.
Scientific evidence suggests that labour is triggered by biological signals, some of which are well understood and others
that remain uncertain. For a routine pregnancy, as long as you eat a well-balanced diet, there is no evidence that what you
eat has any effect on your delivery date.
9. Having sex during pregnancy can hurt the baby.
While there are some valid medical reasons to avoid sexual activity during pregnancy, in most cases sex is not harmful
to the baby and can be very enjoyable for the woman, who may now be noticing enhanced ability to orgasm due to an increase
in blood flow to the pelvic floor. If you are unsure or you feel that you have a condition that may prohibit sex during
pregnancy talk it over with a health care professional
10. You lose a tooth for every baby.
Today, with the availability of supplements and fortified foods, no woman should lose a tooth for every baby! A calcium
supplement is recommended before conceiving a baby and it is calcuim deficiency and malnutrition that can cause loss
of teeth.
Send us your pregnancy myths, old wives tales, the weirder the better we can't wait to hear from your
