Expecting better : why the conventional wisdom is wrong-- and what you really need to know

Summary: -- Why A mom-to-be herself, Oster debunks the myths of pregnancy using her particular mode of critical thinking: economics, the study of how we get what we want. Oster knows that the value of anything?a home, an amniocentesis?is in the eyes of the informed beholder, and like any compli?cated endeavor, pregnancy is not a one-size-fits-all affair. And yet medicine often treats it as such. Are doctors working from bad data? Are well-meaning friends and family perpetuating false myths and raising unfounded concerns? Oster?s answer is yes, and often. Pregnant women face an endless stream of decisions, from the casual (Can I eat this?) to the frightening (Is it worth risking a miscarriage to test for genetic defects?). -- any · Many unnecessary labor inductions could be avoided by simply staying hydrated. · Epidurals are great for pain relief and fine for your baby, but they do carry some risks for mom. · Limiting women to ice chips during labor is an antiquated practice; you should at least be able to sneak in some Gatorade. · You shouldn?t worry about dyeing your hair or cleaning the cat?s litter box, but gardening while pregnant can actually be risky. · Hot tubs, hot baths, hot yoga: avoid (at least during the first trimester). · You should be more worried about gaining too little weight during pregnancy than gaining too much. · Most exercise during pregnancy is fine (no rock climbing!), but there isn?t much evidence that it has benefits. Except for exercising your pelvic floor with Kegels: that you should be doing. · Your eggs do not have a 35-year-old sell-by date: plenty of women get pregnant after 35 and there is no sudden drop in fertility on your birthday. · Miscarriage risks from tests like the CVS and Amniocentesis are far lower than cited by most doctors. · Pregnancy nausea may be unpleasant, but it?s a good sign: women who are sick are less likely to miscarry.