As soon as you find out you are pregnant and announce the news to your friends, family and loved ones, inevitably, information will start flying at you from every which direction. Therefore, it can understandably be particularly difficult to separate the facts from the fiction.
So, grab your jar of pickled gherkins, pop your ankles up on the sofa and continue reading to discover five popular pregnancy myths that simply are not true.
1. You Need To Eat For Two
Contrary to popular belief, the old wives’ tale that you should eat for two while pregnant is not only entirely untrue but could also do more harm than good to you and your baby.
Excess calories, especially from fatty foods such as cakes and biscuits, can make you gain a significant amount of weight and also increase your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. However, it is certainly true that you should increase the amounts of nutrients you ingest.
2. You Shouldn’t Exercise As It May Damage The Baby
Many people will tell you to avoid all exercise and instead relax with your feet up on the sofa with a good book. Exercising while pregnant, in fact, is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental wellbeing, whether that is walking at a moderate pace or else attending a yoga or Pilates class.
3. You Only Get Morning Sickness In The Morning
Unfortunately, the name ‘morning sickness’ is entirely a misnomer, and the nausea associated with pregnancy that many women experience can occur at any time of the day or night.
Although copious studies have been undertaken to analyze the direct cause of morning sickness, medical doctors are still not entirely unsure of the actual cause. Their best guess currently is that it has something to do with the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy.
4. IUI And IVF Are The Same Things
You would be forgiven for believing this one, as it’s a bit more technical! However, in layman’s terms, IVF (in-vitro-fertilization) involves the stimulation, retrieval, fertilization, and transfer of the egg. In contrast, IUI (intrauterine insemination) lessens the distance sperm has to travel to the egg by injecting sperm directly into the uterus. Generally, studies have shown that IUI pregnancy rates are relatively low per attempt, but 2 follicles iui stand more chance of success than just one.
5. Your Baby’s Heart Rate Determines The Gender
Regrettably, it is an entire falsehood that the speed of your baby’s heart rate is a strong indicator of gender, although some people still wrongly believe that if the heart rate is below 140 beats per minute, it’s a boy and above 140 is a girl.
In reality, short of a scientific and precise ultrasound or another type of scan, it is basically impossible to find out the gender of your baby. Other completely untrue myths include if the mother is experiencing mood swings or if the pregnancy bump is higher on the body, then you are carrying a girl.
