The document discusses several common myths about things pregnant women should avoid and the facts regarding these myths. It addresses myths such as eating crabs causing hyperactivity, painting during pregnancy causing birthmarks, cutting cloth in bed causing cleft lip/palate, and eating twin bananas causing conjoined twins. For each myth, it provides the factual information, explaining that things like birthmarks and conjoined twins are caused by natural genetic/development factors rather than activities during pregnancy. It emphasizes that pregnant women should maintain a healthy, balanced diet to support their needs and the baby's development.

2.  Myth: Eating crabs may cause the child to
be hyperactive

 Fact: There is no scientific basis for the association of this
food to a child being hyperactive. However, pregnant women are
advised to have a healthy balanced diet comprising the various
kinds of natural food without chemical ingredients and
preservatives.

3.  Myth: Painting during pregnancy may cause
the baby to have birthmarks
 Fact: Birthmarks are usually caused by some form of
pigmentation in the baby's skin. It can also be due to an abnormal
collection of blood vessels at a particular area. Some of the
birthmarks may disappear as the child grows older while others
do not.

4.  Myth: Cutting cloth in bed may result in the
baby having a cleft lip and / or palate
 Fact: Cleft lips and palates are congenital defects. This
condition tends to be hereditary and the risk increases with the
number of affected immediate family members. However, it may
also occur in babies without a family history of this condition.
Certain drugs are thought to cause this defect but findings are
not conclusive

5.  Myth: Eating twin bananas may lead to
Siamese twins
 Fact: Siamese twins are born with part of their bodies joined
together. It happens purely by chance and takes place during the
development of a single embryo.
In the majority of twin development, the embryo should separate
within 2 weeks after conception. For Siamese twins, this occurs
later and the embryo is not completely separated.
This condition is serious as the mortality rate for babies born
with this condition is high. Fortunately, Siamese twins may be
detected by ultrasound examination during pregnancy. When
detected at the early stage of pregnancy, the couple may decide
whether to continue with the pregnancy.
 Treatment options vary with each case depending on which
portions of the babies' bodies are joined together and whether
there are associated deformities. In most cases, surgery is
performed

6.  Myth: Mothers should avoid consuming "cooling
food" such as grass jelly, pineapple and green
bananas as this may lead to miscarriages
 Fact: There is no conclusive evidence to associate specific
foods with miscarriages. Miscarriages usually occur during the
first 3 months of pregnancy. About half of these cases are due to
abnormally formed fetuses. Other causes include infection and
medical conditions such as diabetes.
Pregnant women are advised to have a healthy and well-balanced
diet, consuming food from the 4 food groups (rice and
alternatives, fruits, vegetables, and meat and alternatives).
Additional intake of specific nutrients during pregnancy such as
folic acid, Vitamin C, calcium and iron are also important to
meet the mother's and baby's needs.

8.  Myth: Sewing and patching holes during
pregnancy may cause the baby to be born
with an imperforated (closed) anus
 Fact: Imperforated anus is a congenital malformation. It is a
condition present at birth and is not inherited. It may be
associated with other deformity such as urinary or chromosomal
anomaly.
This condition occurs in every 1 in 5,000 births. Surgery is done
to correct this condition.