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Home › Articles › Health and Physical Changes › Modern Pregnancy

Modern Pregnancy

Debunking the "New" Myths

By Kelly Burgess

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According to Dr. Gupta, there's no association between computer use and preterm labor. Even laptops are safe. They do tend to get warm, but there's no harm to the baby. Regardless, you shouldn't be sedentary for long periods, whether it's in front of the computer, television or anywhere. Get up and move around!

3. X-rays and sensors of airport security systems should be avoided.
This has taken hold even more strongly due to the increased security since 9/11, but there's no cause for alarm. The amount of X-rays in the airport security area is minimal, and there's so much dispersion of the rays there's virtually no exposure. Dr. Gupta also notes the payoff in security is worth the extra scrutiny.

4. You shouldn't travel at all during pregnancy.
Up until about 34 weeks feel free to travel just as if you're not pregnant. After that, it's best to stay grounded and no more than an hour from your hospital – but that has nothing to do with safety issues – it's for your convenience in case you go into labor. You don't want to end up having your baby in an unfamiliar location. And you probably aren't terribly keen on the idea of giving birth on a plane either.

5. Eat for two or don't change your eating habits at all.
While eating for two used to be one of the most anticipated aspects of pregnancy, it was never really a good idea to just pig out. However, with all the modern 20-something moms-to-be bearing their bellies, there seems to be an alarming trend of not changing eating habits at all. The truth about what to eat, or not, lies somewhere in the middle.

Dr. Gupta says a pregnant woman does need additional caloric intake. How much depends on the weight the person begins at. A slimmer woman, particularly one who is underweight, needs more calories per day than a woman who may have been obese at the beginning of the pregnancy. Nowadays, doctors will adjust their dietary recommendations based on these factors. However, regardless of your starting point, you do need to eat more than you were eating before pregnancy because now you're growing a fetus and your body has extra metabolic demands.

"Eating for two is a myth that I think everyone understands isn't in their best interests because that weight has to come back off," says Dr. Gupta. "The problem now is seeing so many perfect pregnant women who don't look pregnant. Real women think they shouldn't gain weight and try not to eat any more than they have to. That's not a safe approach to diet during pregnancy."

6. An episiotomy will be necessary when you deliver your baby.

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