Pregnancy is a period of joy and anticipation, and expectant women are often full of questions, many of which are unfortunately grounded on superstition and myth.
Can checking out a lunar eclipse actually cause a defect in my child? If I take a coffee while pregnant, will give I give birth to a baby with brown spots? There are countless superstitions, old wives’ tales and myths associated with pregnancy, many of which are actually misleading and yet believed and perpetuated.
There are plenty of myths about heartburn during pregnancy out there, including what it means and how to deal with it. So how do you identify these particular myths and have they got any grain of truth? Here are the two most common myths associated with heartburn during pregnancy.
If You Have Heartburn, You’ll Get a Hairy Child
This is easily one of the most hilarious heartburn myths you’ll ever hear. But it’s astonishingly one of a few myths with some sort of truth behind them.
A study found a link between the amount of hair a baby has and heartburn, but this may not be enough to prove that this common belief is true.
So why does a correlation exist between hair growth and heartburn? Well, heartburn usually occurs during the 3rd semester of pregnancy, owing to elevated estrogen levels. This makes the sphincter relax, letting stomach acid move upwards into the esophagus.
In addition, estrogen promotes hair growth. So having a more severe case of heartburn means having higher estrogen levels.
It does seem that this myth might indeed be true. But before you jump up and down about your unborn child’s long, thick locks, it’s worth remembering that it’s not nailed-on. Many women who’ve had severe heartburn while pregnant delivered practically bald babies, too.
Suffering from Heartburn Means You’ll Have a Boy
This heartburn myth during pregnancy is not as common as the first one, but it’s something many people believe in. They claim that if you have severe heartburn, it means you’ll give birth to a baby boy. This one’s actually false since there’s no evidence or study to back it up.
Of course, you’ll come across plenty of moms on forums claiming they didn’t have heartburn of any kind when they were carrying baby girls, but had severe heartburn when they were pregnant with boys. You’ll also encounter a lot more moms who didn’t have any heartburn when they’ve had baby boys. The only infallible method to know what gender you’re having is through an actual scan.
There are quite a number of odd myths related to heartburn during pregnancy. And although the hair and heartburn myth has some truth in it, sadly, it’s completely false for the most part.
Should You Believe in Hearsay About Heartburn for Pregnant Women?
When you’re expecting, you’ll regularly be bombarded with lots of myths about heartburn during pregnancy. While most of them are absolutely false, some may have a degree of truth behind them.
Before you believe in any pregnancy myths you come across, make sure to tell your doctor about it first. Medical professionals, especially your own doctor, will definitely tell you which ones are actually real or not.