Pregnancy Myths You Might Still Believe
According to statistics, of all couples trying to conceive a baby, only 30% of women will get pregnant during the first cycle, 85% – within 12 months, while the rest may need several years and, perhaps, even the help of doctors. In one way or another, 100% of expectant mothers are looking for information about pregnancy and childbirth. Unfortunately, there are a lot of false and even harmful facts on the Internet about this period of a woman’s life.
It is easier for women with wide hips to give birth
The hips, which are commonly called wide, look like this because of the larger ilium – this is the uppermost part of the hip. However, its size has nothing to do with the size of the birth canal, which is involved during labor.
When a baby is born, it passes through a pelvic inlet, a round hole in the middle of the pelvis that you can’t see from the outside. The size of this inlet is different for all women and does not depend on the size of the hips.
By the size and shape of the tummy, you can understand who will be born: a boy or a girl
It would be very convenient to determine the sex of the baby this way, but unfortunately this is not possible. Only 2 things affect the size and shape of the abdomen: the size of the fetus and its position in the womb. The gender of the unborn baby does not in any way affect the shape of the mother’s body.
Frequent ultrasounds can harm the fetus
There is no scientific evidence that a properly performed prenatal ultrasound can harm the mother or her unborn baby. Ultrasound is not based on radiation, but on high-frequency sound waves. They are reflected from the fetus, and due to this, the image is displayed on the screen.
The intensity of the waves is low, and the procedure itself lasts only a few minutes. The danger can arise if the ultrasound is carried out for too long, but professional doctors do not allow this.
Pregnant women should not lie on their stomach
The fetus is located inside the uterus and is reliably protected by the muscles of the organ. A pregnant woman can sleep and lie on her stomach as much as she wants, as long as it is convenient for her. This situation does not harm the unborn baby.
Pregnant women should not run
Pregnancy is not a reason to stop running. If the gestation is normal and the woman has no health problems, she may run as long as she feels comfortable.
However, in the presence of complications, exercise should of course be avoided. Risk factors include multiple pregnancies, high blood pressure, being overweight, and lack of exercise habit. In any case, you should consult your doctor before playing sports.
Pregnant women should stay away from cats
Cats are carriers of toxoplasmosis. This rare disease causes abnormalities in the development of the fetus. But the disease is not built into every cat. The likelihood that a pet is infected with it is minimal.
It is much easier, for example, to catch an infection from a trashcan. Therefore, if you decide to clean it while pregnant, be sure to do it with gloves and wash your hands immediately after cleaning.
The most common cause of toxoplasmosis infection is not a trashcan or a cat – it is eating the raw or undercooked meat. With this factor, you need to be careful.
All women feel happy during pregnancy
For some reason, the opinion is firmly entrenched in society that pregnant women feel happy, and bearing a child is almost the best time in life. This, of course, is not entirely true. Many would-be mothers experience fear, stress, confusion, and other negative emotions. And 14-23% of pregnant women even have symptoms of depression.
It is caused by hormonal changes in the body, which also affect the functioning of the brain. Depression cannot be denied, it must be treated, as this condition poses a risk, including the unborn baby.
A caesarean section is the easiest way to give birth
Many pregnant women prefer a caesarean section to a vaginal delivery. It is believed to be less painful and safer. In fact, the difference is that the pain does not appear during childbirth. It comes after it and usually lasts much longer.
In addition, a caesarean section can also cause complications, although it depends, of course, on the individual case. In general, doctors recommend choosing this method of childbirth only if there are specific indications for it or when it can save the life of both the mother and baby.
The fetus is not affected by what happens outside
People used to believe that children are born without any knowledge of the outside world. However, doctors now know much more about intrauterine development.
From a certain stage of development, the unborn baby begins to perceive sounds, especially the mother’s voice, sees light and may even turn away if it is too bright. It tastes food that enters the placenta, sniffing and licking it and the walls of the uterus, and can even dream.
It is now known for sure that at the later stages of development, the baby is already able to react to the world around and is influenced by a lot of what happens outside.
Getting ready for pregnancy and childbirth is natural and healthy. But don’t believe everything you find on the Internet or hear from your grandmother. Of course, unless she is an obstetrician.
Do you know any other silly pregnancy myths? Share them with us in the comments!
