Study reveals top questions women search during pregnancy

(Image credit: Getty)

published 17 July 2020

‘Baby name ideas?’ is the most common question women ask during pregnancy, followed by ‘how big is the baby?’, a survey has shown.

The poll of 2,000 mums revealed ‘where can you buy maternity clothes?’, and ‘how much weight should you put on during pregnancy?’ are among the other top queries.

And while mums-to-be have traditionally turned to their own mother for advice, 78 per cent said the internet is now their first port of call for help.

Other common searches include ‘what vitamins and minerals are important to consume during pregnancy?’, ‘how long does morning sickness last?’ and ‘how much folic acid do you need?’

pregnancy questions — Mums have been searching about what vitamins they need to take during pregnancy (Credit: Getty)

The study, commissioned by Vitabiotics Pregnacare vitamins, also found the typical mum-to-be will ask four different questions every day while they’re expecting – more than 1,000 in total.

But worryingly, 78 per cent said they have received conflicting answers, with 15 per cent saying the advice was ‘extremely different’.

It also emerged those polled trust their midwife the most for pregnancy information (51 per cent), followed by their own mum (34 per cent), and doctors or other health professionals (33 per cent).

MORE: Pregnancy week by week: Everything you need to know

And more than one in five (21 per cent) said they consider the internet to be a reliable source.

A spokesman for Vitabiotics Pregnacare said, “Pregnancy is an exciting time but can also be a worrying period – especially when it is your first and you are experiencing everything for the first time.

“But having the internet at the touch of our fingertips now can mean we can easily search for different answers we might need – however strange the question may seem, so it’s vital to ensure the source of advice is authoritative and trustworthy.

“There is so much to take in while you are expecting, even for those who may have been pregnant before, as no two pregnancies are the same and advice can change over time as well.

“Whether it’s looking for ideas on what to call your baby or questions about what food and supplements you should be eating, there is no such thing as a silly question when you are pregnant.”

The study also found 63 per cent of women said they found pregnancy to be a worrying and confusing time, with 87 per cent feeling they had lots of questions.

MORE: 36 of the best old wives’ tales to predict the sex of your baby

And 57 per cent of women said food and nutrition, including what you can and can’t eat, and the vitamins and minerals you should consume, was one of the most confusing areas about pregnancy.

Searching the internet was the most common way to ask a question (67 per cent), along with asking a midwife (59 per cent), speaking to their own mum (48 per cent) or friends (46 per cent).

More than a third also turned to baby and pregnancy forums online while 17 per cent went on to social media.

Study reveals top questions women search during pregnancy

Top 50 questions googled during pregnancy

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