• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

9 common pregnancy myths debunked

by Sara Elliott Leave a Comment

pregnancy myths and health

There’s a lot of truth and myth mixed in with all of the information and advice you’ll receive throughout your pregnancy, and sometimes it can be difficult to keep fact from fiction separated. 

We’re here to let you in on the secret and tell you which myths – and what you’ve been told to do about them – actually hold any truth. 

9 common pregnancy myths (and a truth!)

Spicy foods: You’ve been told which foods to avoid during pregnancy, but the tip that may have scared you the most is to avoid spicy foods because they can trigger pre-term labor. The fact is, this is entirely a myth. Think about it. There are women in countries around the world who only consume foods full of spices and most of them aren’t being sent to the hospital months before their due date, so carry on with satisfying your spicy cravings. 

Cocoa butter and stretch marks:

online pharmacy aciphex no prescription

This is some news that may not be so welcoming, but cocoa butter isn’t going to do anything to prevent stretch marks. In fact, there’s nothing that can prevent them. If you’re going to get them it’ll happen and there isn’t anything you can do about it. You can, however, try lotions that contain vitamin E or even get some of the gel pills and slab them over your baby bump to make your skin smoother. 

No sushi: Sushi lovers, rejoice! There’s nothing wrong with eating sushi here and there during your pregnancy. The only thing you need to avoid when eating this delectable treat are rolls that contain swordfish, mackerel, tilefish and shark. If possible, be sure to chow down on rolls with salmon as the omega-3 fatty acids are good for your baby’s brain development. As for tuna, be sure to eat less than 12 ounces per week. 

Pregnancy heartburn and hairy babies: Nearly every woman has heard that the worse her heartburn is during pregnancy, the more hair her baby will have. This is false, as many women who report severe heartburn deliver bald babies. There’s a lot going on inside your body and with your stomach practically pushed up into your throat it’s no wonder that you can’t find any relief from the burn. 

Don’t lift your hands above your head: The legend behind this myth is that if a woman lifts her hands above her head the umbilical cord will become wrapped around baby’s neck. This is totally false and one of the strangest pregnancy myths out there. Even if the cord is around your little one’s neck, most of the time doctors can easily slip it off without damage. 

No flying during your first or last trimesters: There’s really no truth behind flying while you’re pregnant, you can do it at almost any time, whether it be your first or third trimester. If it’s unsafe for you to fly at any time, your doctor or midwife will let you know. Keep in mind, however, that certain airlines may not let you on their planes if you’re that far along because of the chance you’ll go into labor. 

Avoid petting your cat during pregnancy: The dander on your cat won’t cause any harm to your baby. While it’s OK to pet your furry friend, you should avoid changing the litter box. The parasites in your cat’s feces can cause you to develop toxoplasmosis, a disease that can have devastating effects on your baby. 

Walk to get labor going: As your due date approaches, you’re likely to do anything to get labor going. Don’t waste your time with walking, because it isn’t going to help. There is one thing: if you’re already in labor, then getting up and walking around the maternity ward can help with progression. 

It’s a girl!: There are several myths out there that suggest if this and this happens then you’re definitely having a girl. Hearing that your face looks way different than normal isn’t just upsetting – it doesn’t mean that there’s a little girl growing inside your belly. Severe morning sickness also doesn’t mean that you’re having a girl. 

A pregnancy truth!

Don’t take hot baths while pregnant:

online pharmacy buy premarin no prescription

This myth isn’t a myth at all. You really should avoid taking a hot bath or going for a dip in the jacuzzi while you’re pregnant. Don’t do anything that can raise your body temperature to more than 102 degrees because despite your ability to cool off by sweating, your baby can’t. 

Are there any other pregnancy myths you’ve heard? Share them in the comments below!

Filed Under: Pregnancy Lifestyle

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

3 Smart Baby Monitors That Also Use a Monitoring Sock To Track Baby Safety

By Paul Banas

postpartum recovery

10 Postpartum Recovery Kits to Consider Before Baby Comes

By Hadley Banas

Footer

Copyright 2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • Best Baby Car Monitors from Budget to Deluxe in 2025
  • 3 Smart Baby Monitors That Also Use a Monitoring Sock To Track Baby Safety
  • 10 Postpartum Recovery Kits to Consider Before Baby Comes
  • 3 unique ways to care for your health as a mom
  • What to Do When You’re Expecting And Still Need to Support Your Family

Search

© Copyright 2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT