10 biggest pregnancy myths, debunked
Can you drink coffee? Should you avoid your cat? An OBGYN weighs in.
Jan, 2026
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When you’re pregnant, it can seem like every move you make or every bite you take assumes a new level of significance. Is this vacation going to bring on labor? Will this drink be safe for the fetus? Between new studies, ever-changing health guidelines, and lots of popular myths you’ll find on social media, the info can sometimes seem conflicting.
With that in mind, here’s what’s really safe for you throughout your pregnancy.
Written byOlivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed byJoanne Perron, MD.
Sources: Mayo Clinic. Caffeine: How much is too much? February 21 + 22
- Mayo Clinic. Caffeine: How much is too much? February 21, 2025.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Toxoplasmosis. March 11, 2025.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People at Increased Risk for Toxoplasmosis. February 14, 2025.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing Toxoplasmosis. January 30, 2024.
- Vethanayagam B, Kahn SR. Flying while pregnant: what is the thrombosis risk? J Travel Med. 2020 Mar 13;27(2):taz084.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Travel During Pregnancy. July 2023.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Air Travel During Pregnancy. August 2018.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis. May 2024.
- Armstrong EM. Making Sense of Advice About Drinking During Pregnancy: Does Evidence Even Matter? J Perinat Educ. 2017;26(2):65-69.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Alcohol and Women. June 2023.
- Robbins CL, Ko JY, D'Angelo DV, Salvesen von Essen B, et al. Timing of Postpartum Depressive Symptoms. Prev Chronic Dis. 2023 Nov 9;20:E103.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of Depression Among Women. May 15, 2024.
- Rastogi S, Rastogi D. The Epidemiology and Mechanisms of Lifetime Cardiopulmonary Morbidities Associated With Pre-Pregnancy Obesity and Excessive Gestational Weight Gain. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Mar 22;9:844905.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tracking Your Weight: For Women Who Begin Pregnancy Overweight. Accessed September 18, 2023.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Nutrition During Pregnancy. June 2023.
- March of Dimes. Foods to avoid or limit during pregnancy. March 2020.
- Cleveland Clinic. Cocoa Butter Won’t Help Stretch Marks, but These Options Can. February 23, 2023.
- Mayo Clinic. Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin. November 22, 2024.
- Pregnancy Birth & Baby (AUS). Cosmetic procedures and beauty treatments during pregnancy and breastfeeding. September 2023.
- Mother to Baby. Brentwood (TN): Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS); 1994-. June 2024.
- NHS (UK). Tiredness and sleep problems in pregnancy. March 11, 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Is There Any Guaranteed Way To Induce Labor? April 1, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Breastfeeding. December 9, 2024.
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