The minute a woman becomes pregnant, people start throwing all sort of advice – some accurate, some not – her way from not being able to have sex to coffee being strictly off limits. Not only is it overwhelming, but you also start to lose sight of what’s true and what’s not true. With the help of Dr. Bola Oyeyipo, a family physician in San Antonio, Texas and co-founder of Healthgist.com, we’re dispelling five of the most common pregnancy myths just for you.
Myth #1: Cocoa butter is the key to preventing stretch marks.
Whether a woman will develop stretch marks during pregnancy largely depends on genetics. Stretch marks are formed deep below the layers of the skin. So, all the cocoa butter is doing is hydrating your skin, which may help reduce the appearance stretch marks, but it won’t actually prevent them from forming. Sorry! The best way to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy? “Keep the pregnancy weight gain gradual and avoid excessive weight gain,” Dr. Oyeyipo recommends. “Gaining a lot of weight within a short period of time will cause stretch marks.”
Myth #2: Pregnant women cannot be around cats.
If you’re a pregnant woman who also loves cats, the good news is that you don’t have to suddenly get rid of him or her or stop visiting your best friend’s cat named Whiskers.
“Pregnant women can be around cats, but they should not empty the cat litter,” Dr. Oyeyipo confirms. “Cats are carriers of a parasite called toxoplasma gondii, which causes the disease toxoplasmosis. This parasite could cause fetal malformation and blindness when transmitted from a pregnant women to the unborn child.”
If you do not have anyone to empty out your cat’s litter box on a daily basis, consider having a close friend or family member take care of your cat throughout your pregnancy.
Myth #3: You should increase your food intake.
You’ve probably always heard that pregnant women need to eat for two, but that isn’t quite the case. Eating for two only causes you to gain an excessive amount of weight. In reality, you only need about 300 extra calories a day to ensure that your unborn baby receives all the nutrients he or she needs.
“Eat healthy and moderately through the pregnancy,” Dr. Oyeyipo advises. “Excessive weight gain during pregnancy increases your risk for developing gestational diabetes and is also harder to lose after the delivery of the baby.”
Myth #4: You should avoid drinking coffee.
One cup a day won’t hurt the baby, but anything more than that can be harmful to the fetus, increasing your risk of a miscarriage.
“Caffeine is known to constrict the blood vessels and excessive caffeine consumption during pregnancy may restrict blood flow from to the fetus,” Dr. Oyeyipo says. “You are allowed one cup of coffee a day while pregnant. Take note of other drinks that contain caffeine that you might be consuming to keep your caffeine consumption within safe limits.”
Myth #5: Sex is off limits.
Unless you have a complicated pregnancy, sex during pregnancy is safe for most women. “A thick plug is formed at the base of the uterus (cervix) during pregnancy that prevents any semen from getting into the uterus,” Dr. Oyeyipo clarifies. “However, you should see your doctor if you experience vaginal bleeding or excessive cramping after intercourse.”
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