that’s how problems start. Luckily, I've brought this science with me. Let's look it

over, shall we?

I've got a pal who just announced she's preggers, and being pregnant comes with all sorts of

strange conversations about health which would NOT be okay in any other situation. When you're

pregnant, strangers will throw shade at you for being in a sushi restaurant, at Starbucks,

or on an airplane… Everyone's got opinions, but do they have facts to back it up?

A big myth about pregnancy concerns fish. Fish is a staple of a healthy diet, and pregnant

women are encouraged to eat fish -- but it DOES contain trace amounts of mercury. But

not all fish are equal, so you just need to eat the right fish. No yellowtail or bigeye

tuna, but salmon is great! Check the full lists online When ingested, methylmercury

is absorbed by the central nervous system and can impair normal brain development in

children, infants and fetuses. Other studies have connected methylmercury consumption during

pregnancy to ADHD, especially in boys. Just remember FISH is GREAT for pregnant women

-- it's brain food after all! Plus it contains omega-3s and decreases cognitive decline in

older people. Coffee is another thing pregnant women get

judgement for drinking. But in general, coffee won't harm a fetus. Some studies say drinking

caffeine can increase risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or other weight problems. This

means tea SHOULD be two sides to the same leaf, but it isn't. Fortunately for caffeine

lovers, research isn't entirely clear -- even if the media hype makes it seem like it is.

Yes, caffeine IS a stimulant, which may cause problems in large quantities, but drinking

less than 200 mg per day is fine. 200 mg is like, one 8 to 10 ounce cup of coffee, depending.

Studies show eating peanuts while pregnant will decrease the chances of the baby

an allergy to peanuts. Not to mention, peanuts are a great source of folic acid and protein!

Though research is still ongoing, avoiding them altogether doesn't seem to be necessary.

Sometimes, you get chocolate in my peanut butter! AND THEN there's some serious opinions

thrown around. A study published in Early Human Development surprisingly found preggo

moms who ate chocolate also have happy babies. Their study of 300 Finnish women found those

who'd eating a bit of chocolate daily had a "positively reactive" baby -- also known

as a baby who smiled and laughed a lot. But be cautious, they didn't say it CAUSED a happy

baby, just that they're correlated.

Speaking of chocolate and smiling … pregnancy and sex has a LOT of myths surrounding it.

You can still have sex when you're pregnant. The baby is surrounded by the uterus, and

an amniotic sac, the cervix has a mucus plug sealing it shut, and the benefits of hormone

release during sex and orgasm are well documented. The contractions from orgasm are completely

different muscles from those in the uterus -- so get jiggy with it, guys!

That being said, STIs CAN affect the fetus; so make sure all parties are clean and practice safe sex.

Some other myths that have been debunked by science: go get your hair did. There's no

evidence hair dye harms the fetus in the least; alcohol isn't great but if you slip up you're

not going to mess up your kid; hot dogs, eggs and chickens are all fine, just make sure

they are well-cooked! Something I was surprised by, is heat -- pregnant moms should try and

keep their body temperature below 102 (40C) -- so no jacuzzis, saunas or hot yogas.

Pregnancy can be scary, especially if its the first time. You don't get a do-over, after

all, but all the science says don't cut your diet to only the "safest" foods, instead just

eat healthily: lots of fruits and vegetables, some meat and fish some dairy and grain. Keep

it colorful! We all want to believe that these wives tales have been passed down and carry

water, but some of them are just plain made up.

Do you have a science question? That's why were here! Let us help!