When Catherine Amahoro conceived for the first time, she had no idea about most of the things that she sought for advice from friends and relatives who had given birth before.

However, this came with false information that was misleading. When she bled in the first trimester, one of her friends told her that she was risking a miscarriage a thing that worried her, however, when she consulted her gynecologist, he explained to her that not all bleeding indicates miscarriage, she was checked and was safe. 

Her doctor stressed that vaginal bleeding is common in the first trimester, transpiring in 20 per cent to 40 per cent of women,  although it is necessary to go for a check up to understand the cause of the bleeding.

Amahoro was also told by people that if she delivered her baby via Cesarean section that would be the case for other pregnancies, which is false. Experts say that a Vaginal Birth After a Cesarean (VBAC) can be considered an option for many women based on their health history, the cause of the first C-Section, and C-Section scar location.

Dr Kenneth Ruzindana, a consultant at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) says that there is a false notion that there are ways one can tell whether it’s a baby boy or girl. 

Most women should engage in light-to-moderate exercise during pregnancy.  Photos/Net

He explains that the position of the baby in the tummy, holding a wedding ring over a woman’s abdomen and watching which direction it turns, or how active the baby is, are all untrue.

"An ultra sound scan is the only way to reveal the sex of the baby. It’s however, also not hundred percent reliable,” he states. 

Ruzindana further notes that the other common myth is that when some women are pregnant, they claim that they should be eating for two. There is no evidence to support that. How much extra you need to eat depends on the weight of the mother and her height. And also how active they are and how far they are into the pregnancy.

In general, most women should only eat about 400 to 450 additional calories per day while pregnant. That is a couple of extra healthy snacks like fruits, eggs, or juice, he adds.

For him, overeating is bad for both the mother and the baby. Eating a healthy balanced diet is what is advisable.

He states that another myth is about morning sickness, as some people believe it happens only in the morning. 

He stresses that the truth is that nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can occur at any time of the day due to hormonal changes in the woman’s body. For most women, it’s more common in the morning and begins to improve after three months. But for many women, it’s different. 

"Another myth is that women with heartburn means that their baby has a lot of hair. There is a small research study that showed that there might be a connection between having heartburn in pregnancy and the thickness of the baby’s hair, however, it was just a very small unrelated study. Heartburn has nothing to do with the amount of hair on the baby’s head,” Dr Ruzindana says.

According to Medical News Today, a credible platform of health information and the latest news from the world of medical research, there is a common myth that a woman should avoid exercising when pregnant. Most women should engage in light-to-moderate exercise during pregnancy. A woman who did not exercise regularly before becoming pregnant should talk to a healthcare professional before starting a new routine.

"Another myth is that a woman should avoid sex during pregnancy. Sex has no effect on an otherwise healthy pregnancy. In rare cases, a doctor will recommend abstaining from having sex during pregnancy. For instance, if heavy bleeding has occurred during the pregnancy or when the water has broken,” it states.