Myth: The shape and size of the belly indicates the gender of the baby: a low belly indicates a boy, while a high belly a girl.
Fact: The shape of the belly is determined by the original shape of the abdomen, the strength of the abdominal muscles, the amount and distribution of the fat, the number of babies conceived, the presentation and the position of the baby. It is not an indicator of the gender of the baby.

Myth: Pregnant women should eat for two.
Fact: The pregnant woman should eat properly and her doctor should be happy with the progress. The food intake and especially the acceptable weight gain during pregnancy should be personalised. When the average woman of normal weight conceives, she may needs only about 300 extra calories a day. If overweight, there may even be a healthy weight loss if a healthier diet is adopted and the junk foods are cut out.

Myth: Heartburn is an indication that the baby will have lots of hair.
Fact: Heartburn is a common pregnancy complaint, which occurs due to reflux oesophagitis. A condition in which the contents (food particles) of the stomach come back into the food-pipe. The acidic nature of the content causes the burning sensation. Many women who deliver babies with thick hair may not experience heartburn.

Myth: All pregnant women suffer from morning sickness.
Fact: Morning sickness is often caused by a rise in the female hormone estrogen during pregnancy. Women and their pregnancy hormone levels being individual, the experience may also vary.

Myth: Backaches are an unavoidable part of pregnancy.
Fact: Backache can be avoided by paying attention to posture, avoiding the use of high heels and doing simple stretching exercises to relax your back muscles.

Myth: Methods of delivery are hereditary.
Fact: The number of babies conceived, presentation and position of the baby, the mother's pelvic bone structure and conditions, if any, complicating the pregnancy, rather than hereditary determine the ease or difficulty of both pregnancy and delivery.

Myth: Sex during pregnancy induces labour.
Fact: If physically fit throughout the pregnancy, there is no reason to stop. Couples are asked to be careful about the position they adopt, to ensure that it does not cause discomfort to the mother.

Myth: No method of contraception needs to be practiced, to avoid a pregnancy, as long as the mother is regularly breastfeeding the baby.
Fact: Breastfeeding is reliable only up to a certain period. A woman can get pregnant even without getting the first menstrual cycle post-delivery. It is advisable to use some method contraception to avoid an unwanted pregnancy even while the mother is breastfeeding regularly.

Myth: Pregnant women should not carry heavy items.
Fact: The displaced centre of gravity of the pregnant body already burdened by additional weight makes a woman more prone to falls. It is not advisable to carry loads that cause a diminished sense of balance, thus increasing the susceptibility to falls.

Pic: Emily Cahal