If you’re pregnant, you’ve likely heard countless tales that supposedly indicate the baby’s gender, eye color, and more. You might wonder if these myths have any solid backing. So what’s really the truth behind your pregnancy symptoms? Separate fact from fiction with these common myths and facts about pregnancy symptoms.
Gender
Some things can supposedly indicate the gender of your baby before medical tests can. You’ve likely heard that your baby’s heartbeat can predict their gender. The theory states that if the beats per minute fall beneath 140, you have a baby boy—but is this true?
Unfortunately, there’s no indication that this is correct; regardless of gender, a healthy fetal heart rate should be between 100 and 160 beats per minute.
Heartburn
Second on our list of common myths and facts about pregnancy symptoms is the famous adage that heartburn indicates your child will emerge with a head full of hair. This one seems almost too silly to believe, but there’s actually some truth here. A study found that 82 percent of the time, mothers who experienced mild to moderate heartburn gave birth to newborns with hair. If you find yourself popping the antacids, you may also want to purchase a comb.
Pregnancy Glow
The beloved pregnancy glow is a very popular phenomenon that everyone tends to notice in the faces of expecting mothers. But is pregnancy glow really a thing, or are we just noticing the joy that sprouts from expecting? During pregnancy, your hormones will fluctuate, resulting in increases in blood flow and oil production. These can create the dewy, flushed face known as the pregnancy glow.
Morning Sickness
Countless movies love to present the possibility of a character’s pregnancy with the classic symptom of morning sickness, as this symptom is most prevalent in the first trimester. Morning sickness can indicate the possibility of a pregnancy, but you might find yourself surprised to learn that it can last beyond the first 9 weeks. In fact, some mothers can have severe morning sickness for up to 20 weeks, and in some cases, it can continue to the last trimester. This is a medical condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum.
Cravings
Probably the most popular pregnancy symptom is the intense cravings you expect to have, but the truth is, you might not have any cravings at all—and that’s entirely normal. Cravings aren’t really cravings. During pregnancy, your hormones fluctuate, which affects your taste and smell. This results in increased sensitivity or aversion to certain foods, meaning you might take to eating a particular meal that could be all you can stomach at the moment.