Anyone who’s ever carried and birthed a child will probably tell you that pregnancy is a wild ride.
While I wouldn’t recommend questioning someone whose hormones can be trusted less than a toddler with a permanent marker, here are a few fun pregnancy facts from history to remind you that when someone says they’re going through it, they’re not exaggerating, and they’re definitely not alone.
1. Ancient Egyptians Invented the First Pregnancy Tests
Instead of a stick, Egyptian women as early as 1350 BCE used to pee on barley and wheat seeds to find out if they were pregnant. Sprouting seeds were the equivalent to a modern-day plus sign, but it could take the better part of a week to get results. This method has been tested in more recent history and was found to be about 70% accurate.
2. Victorian Women Were Told to Avoid Excitement While Pregnant
In 19th-century England, pregnancy was seen as more of a “condition” than something to be celebrated. Pregnant women at the time were advised not to engage in “risky” behavior like reading novels, seeing plays, or laughing too much, as this kind of emotional stimulation was thought to be harmful to the unborn baby. Those folks really knew how to party!
3. Royal Pregnancies Were Public Spectacles
In case the idea of shitting yourself in front of the delivery team during that final push wasn’t bad enough, in 17th- and 18th-century Europe, queens gave birth in public so everyone could get in on the action. This was to prevent rumors of baby-swapping and to ensure a legitimate heir to the throne.
Nothing says “welcome to the world” quite like a bunch of powdered wigs fanning themselves at the sight of your mom’s vagina. Happy birthday, baby!
4. In Some Cultures, Pregnancy Was Celebrated with Tattoos
Whether you’re sporting a portrait of your firstborn or a cartoon cat flashing its butthole, explaining the deeper meaning of your tattoo to a random stranger in the grocery store line is basically a rite of passage for anyone with ink.
For members of certain Indigenous and tribal cultures, these run-ins might be a little less awkward, as their tattoos were markers of important life transitions, including pregnancy and childbirth. Inuit women, for example, got facial or hand tattoos to signify fertility and motherhood.
5. Pregnant Women Were Once Told to 'Think Beautiful Thoughts'
Think of a wonderful thought… any merry little thought. Especially if you’re a pregnant person in 18th-century Europe, where people believed a mother’s thoughts and experiences could shape their baby's appearance and personality.
I guess that means there were no true-crime documentaries lined up in the Netflix queue for these expecting parents.
6. Bananas Were a Pregnancy 'Superfood' in the 1930s
In the early 20th century, doctors everywhere were (probably) channeling their inner Gwen Stefani and exclaiming, “this shit is bananas” as they prescribed them for just about everything, including morning sickness, constipation, and even as a gentle baby food. Some maternity books even suggested eating 6+ bananas a day. Shit really was B-A-N-A-N-A-S.
7. Pineapples Were a Symbol of Fertility
In 18th-century Europe and America, pineapples were luxury items linked to fertility and hospitality. These tropical treats were displayed proudly or given as gifts as a wish for a fruitful marriage or a growing family, which might be a little different than what they might be known for these days 👀.
8. The First Maternity Clothing Line Was Launched in 1904
Lane Bryant is a brand name you might recognize for selling clothing for sizes 14 to 28. However, the brand got its start way back in the early 1900s when Lena Himmelstein Bryant (better known as Lane Bryant) sewed a pleated silk underskirt with an elastic waist for a client who wanted to hide her baby bump at an upcoming dinner party. The concept of clothing for pregnant people was totally revolutionary and an instant hit for those who could afford it.
Early advertising for Lane Bryant’s maternity wear was strictly word-of-mouth, since in 1910, it was taboo to advertise anything pregnancy related in the newspaper.
It took a year to convince the New York Herald to run an ad, and when they did, Bryant’s store’s entire stock sold out the next day.
A Lane Bryant mail-order maternity catalogue was then created, and by 1917, over a million dollars in sales had been made (that’s about 25 million today!)
9. Lucille Ball Changed TV History
It seems wild to think that there was a time when even the word “pregnant” was too scandalous for television. Yep, even the mere suggestion that a couple had come together in the act of baby making was once considered too sexually explicit and was a no-no on TV.
So, it was a pretty big deal when the I Love Lucy show decided not to hide Lucille Ball’s pregnancy and instead embraced it (as much as they could, anyway). Although they still weren’t allowed to say the “p” word, and had genuine concerns that their show might be cancelled, on December 8, 1952, the episode “Lucy Is Enceinte" aired on television.
Not only did the show pave the way for the portrayal of pregnancy on TV, but it also brought in huge viewership, with over 70% of American households tuning in for the episode “Lucy Goes to the Hospital’, when her baby (Little Ricky) was born.
10. The First Home Pregnancy Test Came Out in 1977
Before at-home tests, you had to send your urine sample off to the lab and wait weeks for the results. In the '60s, some expecting parents even sent their pee through the mail (I can only imagine the smell of that after a few days in a hot mail bag).
One of the coolest things about the first DIY test is that the idea came from a graphic designer for a pharmaceutical company named Margaret Crane, who had seen a pregnancy test intended for lab use and couldn’t wrap her head around why women should have to wait up to 14 days to find out if they were pregnant. She created a prototype of an at-home test, called “The Predictor”, which (of course) took about a decade to finally make it to market in 1977.
11. Baby’s First Photo Was Courtesy of Submarine Sonar Tech
Although sonar technology was originally used to detect submarines, in 1958, an obstetrician named Ian Donald teamed up with an engineer named Tom Brown to use a modified version of the tech to get a better view of a baby in utero.
Later that year, the first ultrasound image of a pregnancy was published in the medical journal “The Lancet”, and the rest is history. No word on how many “there’s the periscope” jokes were made by techs during those first ultrasounds.
12. In Igbo-Ora, Nigeria, You’re Likely to See Double
If you’re looking for a travel destination where life is double the fun, consider heading to Igbo-Ora, Nigeria, which has been nicknamed “Twin Town” due to its high twin birth rate.
There’s even a five-day annual festival held to celebrate this local phenomenon. Folks in the town have suggested that the high twin birthrate could be tied to their diet, which is rich in yams and okra leaves, but experts suspect it’s probably related to genetics.
13. In Kenya, Maasai Women Give Birth Standing Up
If you’ve ever birthed a baby lying down while screaming, “There’s got to be a better wayyyyyyy”, you may have been on to something.
In Maasai culture, women often give birth standing up, holding onto a rope or a tree branch for strength, with the help of a midwife or elder woman. The method is believed to reduce labor time and encourage gravity to do its job.
Well, there you have it.
Proof that pregnancy isn’t for the faint of heart, plus a little refill for your arsenal of ‘fascinating but probably useless facts’ that might just come in handy at a baby shower or trivia night someday. Take these tidbits and go lightly, wise one.
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