Misconceptions about Pregnancy - mental_floss on YouTube (Ep. 4)

Hi, I'm Elliot and this is Mental Floss on YouTube

Today I'm going to talk about some misconceptions about pregnancy. Now, keep in mind that these are just general insights

Okay, I'm not a doctor, so if you're pregnant and have questions, you should ask a medical professional

Also, I'm not a pregnant woman, but I hope that was obvious. And go, my son

Misconception number one, pregnant women should not eat sushi. First of all, many Japanese women eat sushi throughout their pregnancies

That said, a lot of Western doctors will tell you to avoid raw fish

And there's a list of fish that you shouldn't eat while pregnant, which I'll get to in a moment. But the reason doctors tell you to avoid sushi is just in case you get a foodborne illness

which you could easily get from something like chicken. Regardless, most experts agree that if the fish is cooked or if you're eating veggie sushi, you're in the clear

Which brings me to misconception at number two, pregnant women should not eat fish

Fish you should avoid during pregnancy include shark, king mackerel, sort of, fish, tile fish, marlin, and some kind of tuna

Mercury levels are too risky in these fish. But according to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine the nutrients in some fish can be really great when it comes to a fetus development Many recommend salmon which has low levels of mercury and is high in omega fatty acids and even higher in deliciousness

Misconception number three, pregnant women shouldn't drink coffee. Cutting out coffee while pregnant used to be recommended, but as of 2010, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists reviewed the scientific evidence and announced that less than 200 milligrams of caffeine in day would not increase risk of miscarriage or preterm birth

This is around one 12 ounce cup of coffee a day, but caffeine per cup varies from place to place, so be sure to double check

Misconception number four, you can tell the sex of a baby by how a pregnant woman looks or carries

Okay, um, first of all, you should refrain telling the pregnant woman that she looks a certain way

so she's destined to have a girl or boy or whatever, because she'll sound extremely rude in pretty old fashion

But anyway, some swear that if a pregnant belly sags low, the baby is a boy, whereas if the belly sits higher, it's a girl

Some think the baby girls take some of their mother's beauty, so pretty or pretty or pretty, pregnant women are carrying a boy. I know. That's insane. Also, it's not true

Misconception number five, you can tell the sex of a baby by morning sickness. Actually

there is some truth to this misconception If a woman experiences severe morning sickness also known as hyperamycis gravadorum in her first trimester it more likely that she having a girl But in this case doctors have put the odds of having a girl at around 55

So yes, it's more likely, but not enough that you can make accurate predictions based on morning sickness

Although it's worth noting that women who are so sick that they're hospitalized for more than three days

have an 80% higher chance of having a girl than other women. Misconception number six

A pregnant woman is eating for two. I mean, technically, yes, she is, but the US Institute of Medicine recommends that a pregnant

woman should eat an extra 340 calories during her second trimester and an extra 452 calories

in her third. A doctor can give more specific numbers and recommendations to an individual, but it is incorrect

to assume that pregnant women are doubling their typical diets. Is there not

Consider yourself misconceptive. Misconception number seven, you should not have a cat if you're pregnant

It's actually okay to have a cat or even pet a cat while pregnant. One rule though, do not change its litter box. Okay

This is to avoid the rare possibility. of contracting toxoplasmosis, which could happen if its feces contains the parasite

toxoplasma gondi. Misconception number eight, pregnancy lasts nine months. According to a study that the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences conducted in 2013 the average length from ovulation to birth is a little over 38 weeks but they also found that there is five weeks of variability from woman to woman

Things that might affect the length of pregnancy include a woman's age and her own birth weight. Misconception number nine, a pregnant woman cannot fly on an airplane during her last trimester

This is true depending on the airline, but it's not because traveling via airplane is harmful

or risky. Most airlines just don't want to deal with women going into labor on their planes

I get it. Misconception number 10. Spicy food triggers labor. A 2011 study at Ohio State University surveyed 201 women who had recently given birth

Almost half of them had attempted to trigger labor using various methods learned from old wives

tales, including 22 women who ate spicy food. Jonathan Schaffer, who conducted the study, determined that by and large, labor is an issue

that women have little or no control over. The best, safest thing to do is let Mother Nature take its course

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If you have a topic for an upcoming misconceptions episode that you would like to see, leave it in the comments

and we'll totally do it. I will see you next week. We may not do it

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