Pregnancy: The Top Ten Things You Didn’t Know (or Maybe you Did)

Article By:  Ben Adkins, MD

Pregnancy is without question one of the most important and exciting times in a woman’s life. Since just about everyone likes to give advice (usually unasked), anyone who has been pregnant has heard plenty of it. Not to be outdone, here are some of my favorite, “lesser-known” pregnancy facts.

1. Prenatal vitamins are best taken before pregnancy. The biggest benefit from vitamins comes from folic acid (folate) taken in the first month. Folate is a vitamin found in dark green vegetables that reduces the risk of brain and spinal cord malformations by up to 75%. Unfortunately, the window for this benefit is between the 23rd and 28th days of development, which is before some women realize they are pregnant. If you have a chance to become pregnant in the next year, begin taking a multivitamin now.

2. Prenatal vitamins are not enough. Even though the baby gets plenty of vitamins, mom may not be getting enough iron and calcium. During the third trimester, fetal bone development requires more calcium than is found in prenatal vitamins. This is a good time to add in a calcium supplement to total 1200 milligrams of calcium per day. Your doctor will check to see if you need more iron.

3. Exercise is good. Women who exercise during pregnancy do well: labors are shorter, pushing is easier, and postpartum recovery is quicker. While “old doctors’ tales” say to keep the heartbeat below 140 beats per minute, there is no evidence that this limit has any merit. Women can safely pursue just about any exercise they could tolerate before pregnancy. The only activities to avoid are those with a risk of trauma. So, no full-contact karate, competitive cycling, or pickup football games, but you can run, walk, swim, do Pilates, or pump iron to your heart’s content.

4. Eating for two? You may find that during the first trimester, you gain no weight. Average weight gain increases to as much as 1 lb per week after 20 weeks, so the baby will have plenty of calories to grow. The mother’s weight gain in pregnancy has very little effect on baby’s weight gain, and gaining more weight does not produce better babies (contrary to what our grandmothers believed). You shouldn’t feel like you need to try to gain weight; eat what you enjoy, and aim for “just enough.”

5. Everyone loves a beautiful smile. Good oral hygiene is linked to healthy pregnancies. Gum disease seems to raise the risk of premature labor, so the best approach is to get a good dental evaluation and cleaning before becoming pregnant. Because gums can grow during pregnancy, flossing becomes more important to maintain a healthy mouth.

6. The flu vaccine is worth the pain. Every adult should consider the influenza vaccine since it will save on average about 5 days of illness each year. Moms-to-be who will be in their 2nd or 3rd trimester during the winter months should insist on vaccination, since the immune changes of pregnancy put them at increased risk for serious influenza pneumonia.

7. You can fly the friendly skies. Contrary to what you may have heard, travel is safe in pregnancy, as long as you can get up and move your legs about every hour. The big risk is really blood clots in the legs, or deep venous thrombosis. Since prolonged car trips require more immobilization than a plane ride, you may want to fly.

8. Nausea is good, but not necessary. Nausea affects most first-trimester moms to some degree, but may not be in the morning. It may be all day, in the evening only, or random times throughout the day. While more nausea is a good general indicator of a healthy pregnancy, you don’t have to suffer through it. There are several medications that are perfectly safe in pregnancy to treat nausea- ask your doctor.

9. Ways not to start labor. While exercise is good for your general health, it doesn’t seem to induce labor. Walking during labor does not seem to speed up delivery either (but it does make the contractions feel more intense). The only reason to walk during labor is if you enjoy it. 10. You can predict the sex of your baby without ultrasound. Comparing fetal heart rates, phase of the moon, shape of the abdomen, and many other methods are accurate about 50% of the time. If you ask enough of your family members and friends, somebody is sure to get it right and remind you about it after the delivery. Good luck!