Myths and Facts in Pregnancy..... Busted !!!

 

Being in the 21^ST century with all the latest advances in the field of medicine that have transformed the experience of having baby for a pregnant woman. Yet, there are certain age old myths about pregnancy in India still prevailing. There is no scientific basis for any of these myths and just worry unnecessarily. Being so deep rooted they have such psychological effect on pregnant women that even the most intellectual gets affected who would have otherwise laughed at it and pushed aside. Don’t worry, as I would try to clear your minds and try to bust all the myths in pregnancy, as much as I can.

                      

Ø Exercise during pregnancy can harm the baby .

 Fact check- Exercises help you to be fit, increases your stamina and prepares you for child birth. Any exercises regimen to be started after consulting the doctor. Heavy and strenuous exercises should be avoided. Brisk walking, breathing exercises, yoga are great relaxants.

P.S- Shall discuss about antenatal and postnatal exercises in future posts.

 

Ø You must eat for two people.

 Fact check- Already explained in one of my previous blogs “Nutrition in       pregnancy”, you are supposed to eat healthy food with the normal quantity explained in your diet charts. You need to consume 300-500 calories extra than your previous intake as any of the additional consumption would just add to the mother’s weight.

 

Ø A pregnant woman should not consume dark coloured foods, otherwise the baby’s skin colour will be dark.

Fact check – Colour of the baby is determined by inherited genes and not by the food ingested by the mother. Therefore many of nutritive foods are unnecessarily avoided.

 

Ø If the baby is born at night time, it will be awake at night.

Fact check- Birth time has no relation to the sleeping and waking times of the baby. Moreover child birth is not always an elective procedure, you can land up in emergency and would have the delivery (vaginal/cesarean) at mid night too. Not to worry about it.

 

Ø Slightest touch over the tummy can harm the baby.

Fact check- Your baby is well protected in the uterus with cushioning of amniotic fluid around and the abdominal layers. You can take proper bath and can apply soap over your tummy. Also always wear underwears, again its not going to harm the baby.

 

Ø Cell phones, microwaves and even computers are harmful.

Fact check- Computers have been scientifically proven to be totally safe. And microwaves can carry risk of radiation only in case of leakage. Similarly cell phones do not cause any harm to the baby.

 

Ø During pregnancy, the mother always develops a perfect facial glow.

Fact check- Its not always to develop perfect pregnancy glow. Due to hormonal changes there could be hyperpigmentation, greasy hair and fatigue, its totally normal.

 

Ø  If the baby bump is high – it’s a girl

 If the baby bump is low – it’s a boy

Fact check- Position and shape of baby bump does not depend on sex of baby. In first pregnancy, due to good muscle tone the bump is high and in subsequent pregnancies, the abdominal muscles are lax and the bump will be low.

 

Ø If the mother experiences heartburns (acidity), baby will be born with lots of hair.

Fact check- Heartburns occur due to gastric juices more frequently by pressure of growing uterus. It has nothing to do with hairs of baby.

 

Ø Family will insist on keeping a big secret about the pregnancy in the first trimester to safeguard the mother and child from the “evil eye” and not allow a miscarriage to happen.

Fact check- The first three months of pregnancy are little risky for miscarriages but there is nothing like an evil eye to cause a miscarriage. And always consult doctor after you have UPT positive and not wait for three months for consultation.

 

Ø If your complexion sparkles and face glows, it’s a girl otherwise a boy.

Fact check- The glow and sparkle is due to increased blood circulation and nothing to do with sex of baby.

 

Ø Having sex during pregnancy will result in miscarriage and harm the baby.

Fact check- Only in complicated or high risk pregnancy (low lying placenta, spotting in pregnancy, previous preterm delivery, previous recurrent miscarriages) abstinence from sex is advised. Otherwise a pregnant women can have sexual relations as long as she is comfortable.

 

Ø Baby will be born fair skinned if mother consumes saffron milk.

Fact check- As mentioned earlier, baby’s skin colour is genetically determined. Moreover consuming saffron doesn’t add to the nutritive value of food you are having and just imparts orange colour to food.

 

Ø One should have ghee and badam sheera once labour begins.

Fact check- These foods are very heavy to digest and tend to induce vomiting that would cause exhaustion in already labouring lady. Moreover they take longer time to digest, hence emergency caesareans have to wait.

 

Ø Eating papaya causes abortion

Fact check- The raw papaya is suspected to contain chymopapain which is supposed to induce abortion or preterm labour. But ripe papaya is safe and good source of vitamin A.

 

Ø Drinking coffee adversely affects pregnancy.

Fact check- Coffee in small amounts does not affect baby, but avoid having more than 3 cups a day.

(As mentioned in one of the previous blog “Nutrition in pregnancy” )

 

Ø Impact of full moon on birth – Dates of full moon are linked to date of deliveries.

Fact check- There is no scientific basis for this theory. In an uncomplicated pregnancy you are suspected to have delivery within 2 weeks of the  expected date of delivery and very rarely beyond it. But in case of complications the delivery is either electively planned earlier or in cases of preterm leaking, preterm labour pains.

 

Ø If you are happy and think positive, the baby will grow better.

Fact check- It is absolutely true as mother’s mood have great effect on baby. During stress, there occurs hormonal imbalance and can adversely affect baby. Hence, try and be cheerful and optimistic throughout pregnancy.

 

I tried to explain maximum myths of pregnancy in India, if you come across some more feel free to ask, would explain it clearly and would clear the misconception.

Eat well and have healthy lifestyle but intelligently and there will be no reason to worry. Always try to find the real reasons and science behind the myths.

Listen what elderly aunt next door has to say,

  but don’t necessarily follow that !