Pregnant women are bombarded with rules from the moment they see a positive test, but a leading Australian obstetrician says many of the most common anxieties are based on misunderstandings — while some genuine risks remain underappreciated. The president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Dr Nisha Khot, has weighed in on the most persistent pregnancy myths, explaining what the evidence actually supports and where women should remain cautious.
Exercise and Caffeine: More Flexibility Than You Think
One of the most common concerns for expectant mothers is whether they need to stop exercising entirely. According to Dr Khot, for most women the answer is no — but context matters significantly. Women who were already running, lifting weights or doing high-intensity training before falling pregnant can generally continue those activities. What pregnancy is not, she emphasised, is the right time for a previously inactive person to suddenly take up an intense fitness regime.
Exercise can deliver real benefits during pregnancy, both physically and mentally, and may even contribute to better outcomes for mother and baby. The practical advice is straightforward: listen to your body, expect to tire more easily than before, and scale back when needed.
On caffeine, Dr Khot's guidance is equally measured. Coffee and tea do not need to disappear from a pregnant woman's daily routine. The key is thinking about total daily caffeine intake rather than fixating on any single drink. That means accounting for tea, coffee, chocolate-based drinks and other caffeinated products together. She suggested two or three cups of tea or coffee per day should be fine, while highly caffeinated and carbonated drinks are best avoided.
It is also worth noting that pregnancy can alter how the body processes caffeine. A quantity that felt perfectly normal before conception may suddenly cause a racing heartbeat or jitteriness. Paying attention to those signals and adjusting accordingly is the sensible approach.
Food Rules: The Concern Is Infection, Not the Food Itself
The list of foods pregnant women are advised to avoid can feel overwhelming, and Dr Khot acknowledged that many of those warnings are well-founded. The central concern is infection — either a severe gastrointestinal illness affecting the mother, or an infection that could cross to the baby.
However, there is important nuance here. Take the advice around packaged salads, for example. The risk lies in potential contamination during commercial processing and packaging, not in salad as a food. A woman who buys whole lettuce and washes and prepares it thoroughly at home can eat it safely. The preparation method matters as much as the ingredient itself.
Hot Baths and Flying: The Real Issues Behind the Warnings
Many pregnant women believe they must avoid baths altogether, but Dr Khot clarified that the bath itself is not the problem — overheating is. Because body temperature is already slightly elevated during pregnancy, very hot water can push it higher still, potentially causing dehydration, dizziness or faintness. A warm bath at home is perfectly safe; the emphasis simply needs to be on warm rather than hot.
Flying during an uncomplicated pregnancy is generally considered safe, but there are real considerations to keep in mind. Pregnancy already elevates the risk of blood clots, and long-haul flights can compound that risk. Later in pregnancy, the possibility of going into labour mid-flight is also a practical concern — which is why airlines impose their own gestational limits on passengers. Dr Khot advised women to check the specific policies of whichever airline they plan to travel with before booking.
The Bottom Line for Pregnant Australians
The overarching message from Dr Khot is one of informed moderation rather than blanket restriction. Many pregnancy rules carry genuine reasoning behind them, but applying them without context can create unnecessary anxiety. Understanding why a guideline exists — whether it is about infection risk, overheating, or circulatory health — allows women to make smarter, more confident decisions throughout their pregnancy.
For Australians navigating these questions, speaking directly with a GP or obstetrician remains the most reliable way to tailor general guidance to individual circumstances.
