Top 12 Pregnancy Fears (and Why You Shouldn't Worry) Cont'd

THE FEAR: My baby will have a birth defect.

THE (RELAX!) FACTS: Like many moms-to-be, you hold your breath during every single prenatal test, hoping the results will prove your baby is healthy and developing on track. And it's overwhelmingly likely that she is. The risk of your baby having any birth defect is only 4 percent -- and that includes serious ones, like Down syndrome, as well as all of the thousands of other identified abnormalities, many of which are small and insignificant, like a problem with a toenail, or a tiny heart defect that goes away soon after birth without causing any health issues. Even if a screening test (like an ultrasound or quad screen) comes back abnormal, it doesn't necessarily mean there's actually a problem, and in many cases, subsequent tests confirm that everything is fine, says Dr. Morse. The best way to protect your baby: Take a multivitamin with folic acid before pregnancy and pop your prenatal vitamins daily to reduce the risk of brain and spinal defects, and talk to your doctor about any specific concerns you have. She should be able to give you a clear idea of the true risks, given your family history and age, and help put your "what if" worries in perspective.

THE FEAR: I'll go into labor too early.

THE (RELAX!) FACTS: This one might be on your worry radar because the rate of premature births has been steadily increasing (it's just shy of 13 percent). But more than 70 percent of these babies are born between 34 and 36 weeks -- far enough along in the pregnancy that the risk of serious complications or developmental issues, while not nil, is much lower. And there are actually quite a few things you can do to lower your risk of delivering early: Don't smoke or drink alcohol, have regular prenatal checkups, and take your prenatal folic acid supplements every day. A recent study of nearly 40,000 women found that those who popped the vitamins for a year prior to conception and throughout their pregnancies were between 50 and 70 percent less likely to deliver early than those who didn't take them. The researchers believe that folic acid may prevent certain genes from malfunctioning and causing premature labor.