14 Fun Fetal Facts

Did you know:

1) During 9+ months pregnancy, a woman produces as many hormones as she would in 150 years of not being pregnant?

2) Only 20% of women who experience "morning sickness" actually experience it in the mornings? The other 80% exhibit symptoms throughout the day. *yuck*

3) Only 5% of babies are actually born on their "Estimated Due Dates?" (My due date is Dec 12, but he has a 95% chance of being born on any day other than that day). The majority of babies are born between 37-42 weeks gestation (this is a huge 5 week range). A pregnancy is considered "full-term" after 37 weeks, but the baby can be born from natural full-term labor ANY TIME after 37 weeks. Most doctors today will not let a woman go past 41 weeks due to health concerns for the mother and/or baby. Also, scheduled inductions and c-sections happen too.

4) 30% of women in America today have C-sections? This comprises both scheduled and emergency c-sections. 70% of women go through vaginal delivery.

5) Of the women who choose to have a vaginal birth, 70% of them today will choose to have an epidural for pain relief during contractions?

6) At approximately 18 weeks, the baby's heart rate is regulated to between 140-160 beats per minute? The baby's heart beats so fast because he/she is growing so rapidly.

7) Vernix (a white, sticky substance that coats a baby after 13 weeks in the womb) is thought to protect the baby from the amniotic fluid so that the fluid does not cause the baby's skin to dry out and get too wrinkly at birth? It can be easily wiped off of the baby after delivery if he is born full-term.

8) An ultrasound after 18 weeks has a 98% chance of accurately determining gender? Other tests (fetal dna tests such as amniocentesis and cvs) have almost a 100% accuracy sex determination rating and can usually be done any time during a pregnancy, although they carry a slight miscarriage possibility.

9) After 22 weeks of pregnancy, the baby begins to react to most loud noises? Most especially he reacts to his parents' voices. If you startle the mother after this stage, it can take hours for the baby to "get over it." So don't scare the pregnant woman please.

10) A fetus spends up to 90% of his time in the womb asleep?

11) In swallowing and inhaling amniotic fluid, a baby tastes the same thing the mother tastes b/c his taste buds have fully developed? (So pass the salad, mom)

12) Only 15% of women actually start labor by their "waters breaking?" Even though this is how labor always begins in the movies and on tv, most women in the US have their water broken (the amniotic sac ruptured) by their doctor in a hospital after contractions and other labor symptoms have already begun.

13) Most hospitals in America will not let you take the baby home after check out unless the hospital staff has inspected the parents' car seat in their car? It is a good idea to have this checked by a police officer or car seat safety specialist in the beginning of the third trimester (just in case of pre-term labor).

14) In order to reduce the risks of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), the American Pregnancy Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development issued these recommendations as of 1999: no blankets or toys be allowed in the crib of an infant less than 1 year old, a baby should lay on his back while sleeping, a baby should be swaddled in a swaddler or put into a sleeper/sleep sack instead of being wrapped in a blanket while asleep.