Shared from Parents.com
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1. I'll have a miscarriage.
THE FACTS: It's unlikely. Most pregnancies result in healthy babies (less than 20 percent end in miscarriage), says Karyn Morse, MD, an ob-gyn at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. "Remember also that most miscarriages also happen within the first few weeks of pregnancy, when many women typically don't realize they're expecting and wouldn't know if they did miscarry.
2. My morning sickness is terrible! My baby isn't getting enough to eat.
THE FACTS: Pardon the comparison, but babies are very good parasites, says Dr. Morse. "They'll absorb all of the nutrition from the foods you do give them -- so even if you're living on only crackers and juice, you don't need to worry," says Dr. Morse. Dr. Ashton agrees: "Unless you're sick to the point that you become severely dehydrated -- and if you were you'd feel so lousy that you'd call your doctor anyway -- morning sickness isn't going to cause any nutritional imbalance or affect the fetus." Just be sure to take your prenatal vitamins and do the best you can, otherwise. "Eat small, frequent meals," adds Dr. Morse.
3. I'll eat or drink the wrong thing -- and harm my baby.
THE FACTS: Women today feel a lot of pressure to do all the "right things" when they're expecting, says Dr. Morse. Beyond the basics like eating healthy and taking prenatal vitamins, pregnant gals today worry about every little "Is it safe?" question. But agonizing over every decision will drive you crazy -- and there's no need for it.
4. I'm too stressed out -- and it's hurting the baby.
THE FACTS: Between those crazy hormones, the sheer exhaustion, and everything else going on these days, it would be weird if you didn't feel a bit on edge every now and then. But stressing over your stress is useless, says Dr. Morse -- especially because a super-taxing day or week at work is not going to harm your baby. Most research shows that intermittent stress (the kind your body gets used to over time) has minimal impact on an unborn baby.
5. My baby will have a birth defect.
THE FACTS: Like many moms-to-be, you hold your breath during every single prenatal test, hoping the results will prove your baby is healthy and developing on track. And it's overwhelmingly likely that she is. The risk of your baby having any birth defect is only 4 percent -- and that includes serious ones, like Down syndrome, as well as all of the thousands of other identified abnormalities, many of which are small and insignificant, like a problem with a toenail, or a tiny heart defect that goes away soon after birth without causing any health issues.
6. I'll go into labor too early.
THE FACTS: This one might be on your worry radar because the rate of premature births has been steadily increasing (it's just shy of 13 percent). But more than 70 percent of these babies are born between 34 and 36 weeks -- far enough along in the pregnancy that the risk of serious complications or developmental issues, while not nil, is much lower.
7. I'll never lose all this baby weight.
THE FACTS: Every giant-bellied gal on the planet worries about getting her pre-baby body back. And it doesn't help to see celeb after celeb snap back to their skinny selves the instant they're wheeled out of the delivery room. Truth is, research shows that 14 to 20 percent of women do keep on at least some of their pregnancy weight, but there are ways to boost your odds of shedding every last pound.
8. I'll have complications like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
THE FACTS: The risk of developing dangerously high blood pressure (preeclampsia) is just between 5 and 8 percent. It's more common in women under 18 or over age 35 -- as well as in women who have borderline high blood pressure going into their pregnancy.
9. Sex will never be the same again.
THE FACTS: After baby makes her way out, it's hard to imagine how everything down there will get back to the way it was. But it will! You just need to give your body a little time to heal, and your libido a chance to fire back up again (breastfeeding may dampen your sex drive at first).
10. Labor will be too tough or painful -- I'll never make it through.
THE FACTS: It's easy to get so wrapped up in your pregnancy -- all the week-by-week developments, picking out baby names, decorating the nursery -- that it doesn't dawn on you until those last few weeks that your baby actually needs an exit strategy. So you start worrying about all the different things that can happen: How much will it hurt? How long will it last? First, take a step back and realize that women have been doing this since the dawn of time (so yes, you can handle it too) -- and these days, there's plenty you can do about pain.
11. What if something really gross or embarrassing will happen during delivery?
THE FACTS: You've likely heard all sorts of delivery room stories -- say, about the woman who pooped on the table, or threw up all over her doctor...or cursed her husband for "doing this to me" in front of everyone present. And yes, you will wind up with a team of doctors and nurses staring expectantly at your vagina for a loooong time -- and by your side for every grunt and groan. But you know what? They do this like five times a day and whatever happens, they've seen before
12. I'll need an emergency c-section.
THE FACTS: A third of all babies are born by c-section, but many of these surgeries are known in advance -- not the scary last-minute, rush-into-the-OR kind, says Dr. Morse. A c-section might be planned, for example, if the baby is breech or very large, if there are problems with the placenta, or if the mom has had a previous c-section.
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