Prevalence of pregnancy myths

Several old wives tales or what we call myths in common parlance, prevail around pregnancy and mindlessly percolate across several generations. Most of these beliefs are not backed by any scientific explanation; there are some others that lack complete logic. Here are some of the popular myths that every pregnant woman may have faced during the time of pregnancy.

Eat for your child too
This is perhaps one of the most common myths that circulates during pregnancy; eat double of what you normally do because you are not eating for one, but two. It is indeed necessary to have extra amount of calories and nutrition for the proper growth and development of the fetus but that doesn’t mean you overeat. Eating more than the necessary amount will make you overweight, and thereby lead to several health complications. During pregnancy, nutritional requirements of every pregnant woman are between 2,200 to 2,500 calories. Eating at regular intervals and following a healthy diet will ensure a safe pregnancy.

Exercise can harm your child
There are times when pregnant women are not allowed to exercise during pregnancy, popular belief being it will harm the body and the growing fetus. Exercising helps the body stay active and prevents excessive weight gain, stiffness, aches and swelling and also difficulty in labor. Exercises like walking, stretching, some specific yoga asanas and pranayam and a few easy resistance training exercises are suitable during pregnancy rather than high intensity workouts like weight training that can be risky. Exercise is recommended only after the completion of first trimester. Consult your gynecologist regarding what kind of exercise is suitable for you as well as the duration of exercise.