They can make you laugh, roll your eyes and roll on the floor with laughter, just listening to the many old wives’ tales and myths about pregnancy that are dispensed to expectant women. And to think there are so many medical and scientific advances with regards to having babies, it makes you wonder why such beliefs continue to have a hold on people.

Is bathing a no-no for pregnant women?

Can you determine a baby’s gender just by looking at the shape of the would-be mother’s womb?

Why is it bad to sleep on your back when heavy with child?

These are issues that become the source of myths about pregnancy. The advice may be well meaning but they rarely have basis and might end up more harmful.

Pregnant women usually have higher body temperature so imagine how uncomfortable it would be for them not to take a bath. The trick is not to take very hot baths or long ones to avoid problems due to elevated body temperature. However, pregnant women should avoid bathing if they’re bleeding or when their water has broken. So scratch not bathing among the myths about pregnancy.

There is a myth that when a woman stands on her head after sexual intercourse she will most likely become pregnant. The chances of her injuring her neck are probably higher than it is to conceive. There are so many biological and external factors affecting the ability to become pregnant so to say that a headstand guarantee is silly and dangerous.

A baby’s gender depends on chromosomes. Myths about pregnancy like the shape of the woman’s womb will foretell if it’s a boy or girl, or the baby will likely be a girl if morning sickness spells are worse, really have no scientific basis. Although for the latter, it has been observed that in cases where the mother had severe morning sickness, 53% percent of births were indeed girls.

One of the worst myths about pregnancy is that holding up your arms will result in the baby’s umbilical cord tangling in its neck. It is fetal movement and activity that will more likely cause this, more than what a mother does. There is always that risk as the fetus develops and moves about in the womb. Although pregnancy can limit how a woman goes about her daily routine, if these are relatively safe and won’t harm both mother and child, then there should be no fear of the baby’s umbilical cord wrapping around the neck because of such activities.

Sleeping can be very inconvenient for a pregnant woman especially during the later stages. And among the pregnancy myths is that sleeping on your back is not advisable, while sleeping on the right side is preferable. As the baby grows inside the wound, the blood flow from the lower body back to the heart may slow down because the fetus is pressing down the large vein. This is probably the reason behind the myth to avoid sleeping on the back.

If there is a problem with fetal development or in case the mother’s kidneys are not properly functioning, then sleeping on the side may be more comfortable. But do not take to heart the tale that the baby will be harmed because the mother is sleeping on her back.

If in doubt always consult your doctor or a trained and experienced midwife, certainly don’t place too much belief in many and varied myths about pregnancy.