20 Pregnancy Myths and Facts that are Actually #FakeNews

For soon-to-be mommies, learning about pregnancy can be overwhelming. There are so many pregnancy myths and facts all over the internet, not to mention some info about from your friends and relatives.

Your mind’s probably filled with dos and don’ts: don’t eat dairy, don’t have yoga, do eat some twin bananas, don’t sleep on the right side, do listen to Mozart—the list goes on.

But before you get fully overwhelmed with the information overload, we’re here to help you filter out these myths. In line with the National Safe Motherhood Day on April 11, we’re here to debunk the 20 most-shared myths about pregnancy.

1Morning sickness can only happen in the morning.

True or False?: False!

Commonly seen on pregnancy myths and facts articles, don’t let the name “Morning Sickness” fool you. Early pregnancy symptoms can be experienced in different parts of the day. Besides, time is not a relevant factor as to why you’re experiencing these symptoms. You’re getting sick due to the rapid changes in your hormones, sensitivity to smells, and having less-efficient digestion.

Don’t worry though because this queasiness wouldn’t last long—it often gets better by 16-20 weeks into the pregnancy.

Now, to deal with the morning sickness, here’s what you can do:

• Get plenty of rest.
• Consume more meals per day with smaller portions.
• Take your liquids regularly and in small amounts.
• Avoid having an empty stomach.
• Identify the nausea triggers, such as certain smells, then avoid them.

By doing the remedies above, you’ll surely have fewer symptoms. However, if you feel like the symptoms are getting severe, contact your OB-Gyne as soon as possible. You might be suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum or severe pregnancy symptoms, which is usually caused by existing health concerns, such as high blood pressure or type 1 diabetes.

2You should eat food that’s enough for two people.

True or False?: False! Don’t overeat, sweetie.

Some people believed in this myth because they think that’s the best way to give more nutrients to the baby. However, eating twice as much as your regular food intake will bring more harm than good.

If you want to keep your baby well-nourished, go for healthy foods and skip the processed ones. As for the caloric intake, this depends on your body weight.

For those with a healthy BMI, here are the additional calories that you have to take, according to the Institute of Medicine on babycenter.com:

• 1st trimester = no additional calories needed.
• 2nd trimester = 340 extra calories a day
• 3rd trimester = 450 extra calories a day.

For are soon-to-be mommies that are overweight or underweight, you need to take more or fewer calories, depending on your weight gain goal. Now, if you want to make sure that you’re taking a safe caloric intake, consult your OB-Gyne or Dietitian regarding this.

3You’re not allowed to go to the spa or beauty salon.

True or False?: False. Pamper yourself!

People think that spa and salon treatments use chemicals that are bad for the baby. If you’ve checked several articles about pregnancy myths and facts about pregnancy, some are even confirming this myth—they’re not true, btw.

You can still have a spa and salon day, you just need to be extra careful and always let the staff know that you’re pregnant (unless it’s obvious). Here are some spa and salon treatments that are safe for soon-to-be-mommies.

• Body Massages and Scrubs: Wait until the first trimester is over, then you’re good to go. The first trimester is the phase where the baby is most vulnerable, so getting massages may cause stress to the body and harm your baby.
• Manicures and Pedicures: You can let your nail tech do his/her thing, except for massaging your hands and feet—it has pressure points that can induce labor.
• Hair Removal Treatments: Go for waxing and threading treatments. On the other hand, removing your hairs off through laser treatment is a big nope.
• Facials: Get that glowing skin, sis. Just avoid facial treatments that include peel on it. Treatments that have a peel may contain chemicals, such as salicylic acid, that could be harmful to your fetus.

4You should limit your movement—exercise and sex are out of the table.

True or False?: False!

You’ve probably seen this myth on tons of pregnancy myths and facts articles, but just like those articles, we’re here to tell that this isn’t true.

Maintaining a moderate exercise routine is beneficial to your health. It can improve your posture and reduce common discomforts such as fatigue and backaches. Also, there are studies that prove how exercise can prevent you from getting gestational diabetes– a condition that increases your blood sugar levels during pregnancy. You can even perform kegel exercises during pregnancy. At all times, it’s best to consult your doctor before committing to any exercise routine.

As for the sex, it’s safe to have intercourse while pregnant. As your partner can only penetrate your vagina, there’s no way for your partner’s penis to reach the uterus, where your baby resides. You can also use sex toys such as vibrators if you like to satisfy your sexual needs, but not in the mood to have penetrative sex.

However, if you’re expecting twins or having cervix problems, it’s best to hold it off. Also, don’t forget to consult on your OB-Gyne regarding this.

5Getting heartburn means your baby will have a lot of hair.

True or False?: False—sort of.

This myth started due to a study that was published in 2006, claiming that there’s an association between the severity of heartburn during pregnancy and a newborn’s hair growth. However, this study only had 64 participants, making this study invalid, the validity of this myth.

On the other hand, other studies have shown that the hormones from fetal hair growth are the same hormones that relax the esophageal sphincter–which contributes to heartburn.

6You’re not allowed to have a cat.

True or False?: False—but be careful with cat litter.

Playing with your pet kitty isn’t going to be an issue. However, it’s better to ask someone else to clean your cat and its litter box. This is to avoid getting infected with toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that’s usually in cat feces. If you get infected with toxoplasmosis while pregnant, your baby could get serious birth defects such as eye or brain damage.

As the parasite is transmitted orally, make sure that your hands are always well-sanitized, especially before meals.

7Your cravings will affect the baby’s appearance.

True or False?: False!

According to some people and unverified articles about pregnancy myths and facts, cravings are somehow clues to what will your baby look like.

Into light-colored meals? Expect a snow-white-like complexion from your bundle of joy. Craving for chocolates? You’ll surely get a gorgeous tanned baby. Obsessed with stick-like foods? Expect a tall and slim child in the future.

This myth is a complete lie. You can’t use your cravings as a basis of your child’s appearance. There are no scientific studies about it. If you’re curious on your baby looks, you may try advanced ultrasound scanners such as 4D ultrasounds.

8If you keep eating twin bananas, you’ll most likely to have twin babies.

True or False?: False!

Food wouldn’t increase your chances of getting twins. Getting pregnant with twins can only happen if your single embryo splits into two after fertilization, or If separate egg cells are fertilized by two different sperms.

There are also some other factors to consider: family history, genetics, and fertility status. Also, if you’re undergoing an IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization), it’ll increase your chances.

9You shouldn’t eat certain types of food such as spicy dishes, dairy, peanuts, and seafood.

True or False?: False, but it’s better to consult your dietitian and OB-Gyne regarding this.

If you’ve been reading articles about pregnancy myths and facts, you’ve most likely stumbled upon myths that prohibited certain types of foods. Well, we’re here to debunk these food-related myths.

• Can you eat peanuts? Unless you’re allergic to it, you can eat peanuts while pregnant. Your baby wouldn’t get peanut allergy from it.
• Can you eat spicy meals? Yes, but in moderation. Myths surrounding about spicy foods causing contractions or trigger preterm labor are simply untrue.
• Can you eat dairy? Yes! Dairy products are excellent sources of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and other vitamins and minerals. Just take the recommended serving, which is 3-4 servings of calcium-rich foods, which is enough to give you 1,000 milligrams of calcium.
• Can you eat seafood? You can eat most seafood types, just steer away to certain types such as swordfish, marlin, shark, tilefish, and king mackerel. These fishes contain high levels of mercury that can be harmful to your baby.

Now, even though the clarifications above are backed up with research, it’s best to consult your dietician and OB-Gyne to ensure your safety.

10You’re not allowed to drink caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or soda.

True or False?: False—sort of.

You can still have that cup of joe– just make sure to limit your intake up to 200 milligrams (mg) per day.

As caffeine increases your blood pressure and heart rate, high levels of this stimulant are not recommended during pregnancy.

11It’s okay to drink wine while pregnant.

True or False?: Mixed. Some experts approve this, while others find it dangerous.

Stumbled upon this on several pregnancy myths and facts articles? You’ve probably seen mixed answers about this myth. Some experts are saying that it’s okay to have a glass, while others are prohibiting this.

Both entries are not wrong though. As posted by Harvard Health Publishing, small amounts of alcohol in the early stages of pregnancy may be less risky. However, if you want to ensure full safety for your unborn baby, it’s best to steer away from alcoholic drinks as much as possible.

Various medical societies, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, are prohibiting pregnant women to drink heavy amounts of liquor. Why? Because it has been linked to a permanent and irreversible condition known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

Babies that have this syndrome may be born early and underweight. They’ll also be born with specific and somewhat unusual characteristics such as small eye openings, thin upper lip, small head, or short nose. They will also suffer from slow growth and learning disabilities.

12Gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy doesn’t matter at all.

True or False?: False!

Your pregnancy isn’t an escape to your healthy eating habits. Your weight gain should be between 25-35 pounds only, depending on your pre-pregnancy weight and BMI. For further assessment, you can also consult your doctor about the recommended weight gain that’s suitable for you.

If you go above the suggested weight gain, you might experience the following consequences: Increased discomfort, High blood pressure, Gestational diabetes, Preeclampsia, less-accurate ultrasounds results, premature labor, and a large baby.

13You’re not allowed to use computers and mobile devices.

True or False?: False.

Studies have found no evidence that could validate this claim. Computers produce low amounts of non-ionizing radiation, so there’s no way that computers can harm a developing baby.

As for other devices such as laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, it’s still safe to use. Don’t place it in your pregnant belly though to prevent discomfort, as these devices produce heat.

14You’re all glowed up during pregnancy.

True or False?: Mixed. This depends on the mother.

You’ve probably heard someone complimenting your skin and hair. Friends and relatives are simply wowed with your look. This has got you thinking—is “pregnancy glow” a real thing?

Well, this depends on the woman. While some experience having healthier hair and smoother skin, others are experiencing the opposite—getting breakouts and brown spots all over.

Now, what has caused these changes? This is due to the hormone fluctuations, higher secretions of oil in the skin, increased blood flow, and heat rashes, all of which is what a pregnant woman normally experience.

15You can predict the sex of the baby without an ultrasound scan.

True or False?: False!

This is one of the common topics that you can see in blogs about pregnancy myths and facts. Some say that you can determine it using the shape of your belly, some say that you can know it through baking soda, but spoiler alert: these “tests” don’t work.

If you want to know the gender of your baby, the best way to learn about it is through a traditional ultrasound scan, which can be done between 16 and 20 weeks into the pregnancy.

16You shouldn’t take flights.

True or False?: False. However, you can only fly until 36 weeks into the pregnancy.

Going to Bahamas trip then recently found that you’re pregnant? Don’t worry, you don’t have to scrap that vacay trip. As long as you’re not 36 weeks into the pregnancy, you’re generally safe to fly. For full safety, make sure to consult about your OB-Gyne first. There are certain pregnancy complications that could worsen by getting into a flight.

Also, you’ve got to check the policies on different airlines regarding pregnant passengers. Some airlines require you to get a medical certificate or doctor’s note. For further knowledge of these plane travel policies, check this helpful guide from Healthline.

17Listening to music will make your child more intelligent or musically-inclined.

True or False?: False!

If you’re expecting your child to have a four-octave range by listening to Mariah Carey during your pregnancy, well… you got to keep your expectations low.

You shouldn’t also expect your child to become a child prodigy just by listening to Mozart. Recent studies show that the effects of this practice are minimal. There’s no surefire way the child will be genius of sorts—just have an additional one and half points on their IQ.

The only proven benefit of listening to music during pregnancy is that it boosts your mood and reduces your stress. It releases dopamine to your body, creating a positive environment for your baby.

18You should only sleep on your left side.

True or False?: False!

Based on various studies, sleeping on the left side is the most ideal position for pregnant women. It allows for optimal blood flow that is beneficial to you and your baby. It also takes the pressure off your liver and kidneys.

So, should you stop sleeping on the right? Not necessarily. According to this 2019 study, there’s equal safety on the left and right sides. Though there’s a slight risk of compression issues when you sleep on the right, you can still sleep safely through this position. Just pick a side on which you’re most comfortable on.

19You’re not allowed to get vaccinated.

True or False?: False!

Yes, you can still get vaccines even if you’re pregnant. Just make sure that the vaccine you’re getting has killed (inactivated) viruses. To ensure your safety, simply consult your doctor before getting vaccinated.

20You can’t have a vaginal delivery after cesarean delivery.

True or False?: False—but you need to assess the risks.

If you previously took a C-section, it’s still possible for you to get a vaginal delivery. Commonly known as Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC), this is considered a safe method as long as you and your baby are healthy. With this, consult your OB-Gyne for further assessment and instructions.

However, if you’re older than 35, have high BMI, or experiencing preeclampsia, avoid doing this. Trying VBAC with these conditions can lead to dangerous complications. Timing is essential too—if your previous cesarean was in the last 19 months, doing VBAC is not recommended.

Takeaway

Knowing the right information is the key to a healthy pregnancy. Instead of asking info to your relatives and friends, it’s better to seek knowledge from sexual health and pregnancy blogs (like this one) and to your trusted OB-Gyne.

And as we celebrate the National Safe Motherhood Day, don’t forget to share these debunked pregnancy myths and facts with your preggy friends! You might not realize it, but someone could be experiencing discomfort due to these myths—sharing it on a group chat or social media profile will come a long way. Have a safe and fuss-free pregnancy!