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Ask Dr. H: Debunking myths about pregnancy
Question: My girlfriend is five months pregnant and carrying her baby wide. She's keeping the sex of the baby a secret, but I suspect it's a girl by the way she's carrying the baby. Is there anything to that "old wives' tale"?
- P.Y., Allentown, Pa.
Answer: The odds of her having a girl based on that old English folklore are no greater than flipping a coin with heads being a boy and tails being a girl. It has to do with the shape of the mother's torso, how the baby is positioned, and the ease of stretch of her abdominal muscles. A short torso means that the uterus will need to expand outward as the baby grows; a long torso gives the baby more room for growth. If the baby is sideways, the mother's pregnant belly will appear wide. Also, it's not unusual for a mother to carry her baby lower with each subsequent pregnancy. A few other myths of pregnancy: A baby's heart rate cannot predict the sex of the child. A normal heart rate for both boys and girls from the middle part of pregnancy through labor is between 120 and 160 beats per minute. A craving for sweets or salt cannot predict the sex of the child. Q: Can you explain what "vesiculoureteral reflux" is? My young grandson has been diagnosed with it after having a kidney infection. - R.L., Huntsville, Ala. A: You're probably familiar with acid reflux, a disorder where acidic contents from the stomach reflux upward into the esophagus. Vesiculoureteral reflux (VUR) is a condition seen mostly in children, where urine refluxes from the bladder into the ureters (the tube that connects the kidneys with the urinary bladder) or the kidneys. The tip-off for VUR is a bladder infection or a kidney infection associated with kidney pain and fever. Formal diagnosis of VUR is made by urinalysis, among other options. The cause of VUR is usually insufficient length of the ureter, defects in the attachments of the ureter, or a defect of the valve that keeps urine from refluxing from the bladder into the ureters and kidneys. It's mostly congenital (present at birth) and has varying degrees of severity. A pediatric urologist is the best specialist to treat your grandson's condition.
Mitchell Hecht is a physician specializing in internal medicine. Send questions to him at: "Ask Dr. H," Box 767787, Atlanta, Ga. 30076. Because of the large volume of mail received, personal replies are not possible.
Answer: The odds of her having a girl based on that old English folklore are no greater than flipping a coin with heads being a boy and tails being a girl. It has to do with the shape of the mother's torso, how the baby is positioned, and the ease of stretch of her abdominal muscles. A short torso means that the uterus will need to expand outward as the baby grows; a long torso gives the baby more room for growth. If the baby is sideways, the mother's pregnant belly will appear wide. Also, it's not unusual for a mother to carry her baby lower with each subsequent pregnancy. A few other myths of pregnancy: A baby's heart rate cannot predict the sex of the child. A normal heart rate for both boys and girls from the middle part of pregnancy through labor is between 120 and 160 beats per minute. A craving for sweets or salt cannot predict the sex of the child. Q: Can you explain what "vesiculoureteral reflux" is? My young grandson has been diagnosed with it after having a kidney infection. - R.L., Huntsville, Ala. A: You're probably familiar with acid reflux, a disorder where acidic contents from the stomach reflux upward into the esophagus. Vesiculoureteral reflux (VUR) is a condition seen mostly in children, where urine refluxes from the bladder into the ureters (the tube that connects the kidneys with the urinary bladder) or the kidneys. The tip-off for VUR is a bladder infection or a kidney infection associated with kidney pain and fever. Formal diagnosis of VUR is made by urinalysis, among other options. The cause of VUR is usually insufficient length of the ureter, defects in the attachments of the ureter, or a defect of the valve that keeps urine from refluxing from the bladder into the ureters and kidneys. It's mostly congenital (present at birth) and has varying degrees of severity. A pediatric urologist is the best specialist to treat your grandson's condition.
Mitchell Hecht is a physician specializing in internal medicine. Send questions to him at: "Ask Dr. H," Box 767787, Atlanta, Ga. 30076. Because of the large volume of mail received, personal replies are not possible.
