Is There Something in the Water?

Last weekend we were at a wedding shower for my brother-in-law and his fiancé when the hostess welcomed everyone and gave the lay of the land: The food is up here, the wine is over there and the water is right here for everyone that’s pregnant. If you’re not pregnant, I’d stay away, there must be something in the water.

At the time everyone laughed, but in the passing days, her comment got me thinking.. is there really something in the water?

Now, I teach health and I am currently expecting my third child, so I know you can’t actually get pregnant by drinking water, but let me explain…

I read a study done by Blue Cross Blue Shield that found a 31.5% increase in pregnancy and childbirth complications from 2014-2018. To me, that’s an outstanding increase in the short span of 4 years.

Before I had my son 3 years ago, I rarely heard of childbirth complications and when I did it definitely wasn’t from someone I knew. Since then, it seems like every time I hear someone is expecting, more times than not, the mom is experiencing complications during pregnancy, the doctors are concerned about the baby’s health before birth or once the baby is born they are being admitted to the NICU.

What is causing this increase in complications? Am I just more aware now because I was faced with complications in 2 out of my 3 pregnancies? Are people FINALLY talking about miscarriages and infant death, topics that have been taboo for years? Or is there really something in the water?