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5 received ideas (or not) about pregnancy #3

Making love can trigger labor

WHAT ? But at what stage of pregnancy? Doctor's opinion*. " True. Orgasm and the prostaglandin in semen can cause contractions all the time. But the uterus contracts naturally throughout pregnancy:these are the "physiological" contractions. So, if there is a risk of premature delivery (shortening of the cervix, for example, which can also begin to open), it is better to abstain. »

If you're a big smoker, it's better to continue smoking a little than to stress for 9 months

Considering how we are every time we try to stop (stomachache, anxiety attack, dog mood…), it might be better for the baby, right? Doctor's opinion. "False. Babies whose mothers smoke are smaller than average and tobacco can also be one of the causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. But if you can't stop smoking right away, don't feel guilty. The important thing is really to stop before the third trimester. And, it's easier when you have a good motivation. There, she is all found! Even if it means getting help from a tobacco specialist and nicotine substitutes, which are less toxic for the baby than "whole" cigarettes.

Amniocentesis, at any age, is super dangerous!

Yes, we know that it is used to detect possible chromosomal malformations, such as trisomy 21, but amniocentesis scares us. And when a good soul went online and told us 'we had a 2% chance of having a miscarriage', we freaked out even more. Do you really have to take the risk? Doctor's opinion. "False. Carried out in the best possible conditions, this examination presents only 0.2 to 0.5% risk. » To be measured with your doctor, on a case-by-case basis depending on your situation (age, history, etc.) and the results of the tests (thickness of the neck on the ultrasound, serum markers).

Self-medication should be avoided for nine months!

Headaches, stomach cramps… At the slightest ailment, we have the reflex to open our medicine cabinet as before. Wrongly? Doctor's opinion. "True. You can take paracetamol without risk (2 to 4/day max), but for everything else (antibiotics, aspirin...), it's only on medical advice". And then that's all ! Because drugs circulate in our blood and cross the placenta, with the risk of causing malformations or causing growth or development delays in children.

Nothing like giving birth in water

Water at 37° means less stress, less pain for the mother and above all less trauma for the baby... The doctor's opinion. True. “But the practice remains uncommon in France. The most difficult thing is to find maternities equipped with a birthing pool or bathtub. » Without forgetting the aquatic preparation for birth, to be done from the 5th month of pregnancy.

*Thanks to doctor Jean-Sylvain Pagès, gynecologist.