17 Surprising Facts About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy is a time when numbers matter: From a mother's due date to how many inches her belly measures to the number on the scale, a mom is constantly keeping count! But what if a mom wonders how her own personal figures stack up compared to those of other women? While there are no "right" or "wrong" ways to be pregnant, sometimes it can be helpful to understand other women's experience.
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We all want to make sure our pregnancies are on track for a healthy delivery, but is there a way to get quantifiable information? We found expert information about what the average pregnancy looks like -- though again, every woman is different and pregnancies vary wildly from woman to woman. Here are the average numbers for how women change and grow during pregnancy -- from how much weight they gain, to the chances they'll have a boy, to even the percentages of moms who work. These numbers can help an expectant mother understand a little more about her pregnancy -- or maybe these facts provide interesting new ways to look at what a pregnant woman is experiencing. Read through our slideshow of fascinating numerical pregnancy facts to find out!
Amnio Is a Thing of the Past
While amniocentesis was once commonplace (particularly in moms over 35), the introduction of noninvasive prenatal testing has led to a 76% decrease in amnio procedures.
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The Mean Age for Moms
While many women are postponing motherhood these days, the mean age of a woman the first time she gives birth is still pretty low: 25.6 years.
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How Many Women Really Get C-Sections
While c-sections seem to be getting more and more popular, they're still not the norm: Only 32.7% of women get c-sections, with 67.3% delivering vaginally.
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The Incidence of Twins
Possibly due in part to an increase in IVF procedures, the twin birth rate has jumped 75% since 1980. The more, the merrier!
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How Many Dads Take Paternity Leave?
Still more proof we need better family leave policies: 96% of new dads take only 2 weeks or less off from work.
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