3 Myths about Pregnancy

Posted on Feb 17, 2012 | Blog Posts, Pregnancy Health Category | | Print This Article
 

El Despertar de un Títan
Creative Commons License photo credit: Devilpato

From the time you announce to your friends and family that you’re pregnant, everyone around you has some bit of advice. “Think of the baby, dear.” “Put down that coffee, dear.” “Make sure you don’t dye your hair, dear.”

While these things are all just ways for friends and family to let you know they care about you and that they want you to have a happy, healthy pregnancy, it can get annoying at times. The worst part of it is that some of the things they tell you just aren’t true.

Here are some of the most common myths you’re likely to hear about pregnancy after you deliver the good news:

  1. You need to quit drinking coffee. While there can be some risk associated with large amounts of caffeine during pregnancy, most studies show that 1-2 8 ounce cups of coffee (or another caffeinated beverage) is safe during pregnancy. If you’re really concerned, avoid it altogether during the first trimester, when risks seem to be highest.
  2. You need to stay away from lunch meant. This isn’t entirely true. There are some risks associated with deli meat; primarily, these risks have to do with listeria. However, if you will heat the deli meat to 160 degrees, you’re entirely fine. Risk is greatest in the third trimester; eating heated deli meat during the first two trimesters should be fine.
  3. You shouldn’t dye your hair during pregnancy. There have been no scientific studies that show any risk to the pregnant woman or her baby from an occasional exposure to hair dye. Two or three decades ago, this may have been true; hair dyes used to be made of much more dangerous stuff, and often included toxic chemicals. Today, however, that’s just not the case.

The bottom line is this: there’s a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to pregnancy. If you’re concerned about specific behaviors, foods, or whatever, talk to your doctor. Your doctor has access to the most recent medical literature, and can help you to make an informed decision about how best to have a healthy pregnancy.




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