Common Myths About Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the moment in a woman’s life that is rewarding, exciting, and scary (among many other adjectives).

During this time, it’s easy to hear so many “old wives’ tales” and myths that range from “that’s funny” to “that’s scary!” and everything in between.

In the last article, we spoke about nutrition myths and pregnancy and in this article, we’ll look at some of the many myths surrounding pregnancy as a whole and hopefully put your mind at ease whether you are pregnant currently or want to become pregnant in the future.

5 Common Myths About Pregnancy

Myth #1 – Heartburn is a sign your baby will have a lot of hair

The truth is that this study was done in 2006 on 64 women who had given birth. They were asked about their heartburn severity and shortly after the baby was born, a photographer took photos. It was hypothesized that the more hair a baby had in-utero, the more likely the mother would experience heartburn.

This has been largely believed the same pregnancy hormones that cause heartburn are the same ones that impact the hair growth of the baby.

This correlation has been largely debunked as there are many reasons why a woman would experience heartburn and the baby’s hair growth is more correlated to genetics and family history.

Myth #2 – You shouldn’t dye your hair during pregnancy

The truth is hair dye found in hair colour is not highly toxic and only a small amount is absorbed by the skin. It’s totally ok. If you would like to play it safe, wait until after the first trimester. 

Myth #3 – It’s ok to have a glass of wine here and there

The truth is this goes back to an old study that says it’s ok to occasionally have a drink during pregnancy. The idea is that it “helps” relax the pregnant mother but also helped the developing fetus.

This is not true. Another study looked at “My midwife said that having a glass of red wine was actually better for the baby”: a focus group study of women and their partner’s knowledge and experiences relating to alcohol consumption in pregnancy” and was said that, “however, no research to date has found that alcohol consumption improves the physical health of a developing baby, and it is recommended that pregnant women abstain from all types of alcoholic beverages”.

Since women metabolize alcohol differently and every woman is different, there is no “one-size-fits-all” recommendation.

It’s also not recommended to drink alcohol because that can get into breast milk supply of the baby.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, cause miscarriages, prematurity, and stillbirth.

Myth #4: Pregnant women will be “glowing” all the time

The truth is pregnant women are human beings and have physical, mental, and hormonal changes during pregnancy. She won’t be smiling and laughing all the time. She will not be “glowing” all the time.

These changes will manifest differently in every woman and it’s important to respect her boundaries and provide care and compassion, especially in moments of “not glowing”.

Myth #5: You can’t have sex while you’re pregnant

The truth is you can!

As long as your doctor or midwife do not advise against sex during your pregnancy, you can absolutely enjoy it.

The times it is recommended not to is if the water has broken, there are placental issues, heavy bleeding at any point, at-risk for miscarriage, or showing sign of preterm labour .

If you are pregnant and healthy, it is safe and healthy to have sex up until delivery.

Also note – in later stages of pregnancy, sex can in fact trigger small contractions but it is normal and they’ll go away.

Fear Not

Now that we’ve touched on a few of these myths, remember, choose what you feel is best for you and your baby during pregnancy, consult with your doctor or midwife, and enjoy the journey through what is one of life’s most rewarding experiences.

You’ve got this.