What if the approach of the full moon were to boost your chances of giving birth? The Moon has always been shrouded in mystery and superstition, particularly as it relates to femininity. One of these beliefs is that the nocturnal star triggers childbirth, sometimes even prematurely. So what's the truth? What does science have to say? Are you really more likely to see your baby born that night, or not?
CONTENTS :
- More births on a full moon, but where does this belief come from?
- A peak in births when the Moon is full? No conclusive statistics
- How to calculate and predict your baby's birth date?
- The Moon's effects on our bodies: beyond childbirth
More births on a full moon, but where does this belief come from?
Since the beginning of your pregnancy, you've heard many stories about your unborn child. Eating a saltier diet would increase the chances of a boy being born. A pregnancy belly worn pointy, would indicate a girl to come. Sleeping on your belly could be dangerous for your baby... But did we ever tell you that full moon nights are more likely to induce childbirth?
Menstruation, fertility and lunar phases have always been closely linked in many cultures, mainly because a woman's menstrual cycle lasts an average of 28 days and a lunar cycle 29 days. For centuries, shamans, priestesses and healers have observed the star at the moment of childbirth, believing that theMoon's gravitational pull - the source of the tides - could also cause the waters to break, leading to an increase in the number of births on those nights.
As for lithotherapy, it advises women who want to have children to wear a moonstone around their neck.
Between the Moon and fertility, a story of women, energy and cycles
Since the dawn of time, women have observed and celebrated the Moon's cycles, associating them intimately with their own biological rhythms, to their strengths, and in particular to fertility. The imaginary world of witchcraft is also full of witches invoking the Moon and its powers. So many beliefs and symbols that reinforce and carry the mystical link between lunar cycles and femininity right up to the present day.
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Is there such a thing as harmonizing a woman's menstrual cycle with lunar cycles?
While it's true that both cycles have a similar duration, the female cycle is influenced by numerous genetic, hormonal and environmental factors, making it very different from one woman to the next, and even over time. What's more, scientific research to date has failed to find any obvious direct link. Astudy by Claude Gronfier of the CRNL (Centre de recherche en neurosciences de Lyon), for example, points to a possible but weak synchronicity, which needs to be confirmed.
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Lunar symbolism in representations of fertility and maternity
Since ancient times, the Moon has been associated with femininity, fertility, life cycles, various divinities and, consequently, menstrual cycles and pregnancy. This powerful symbolism has endured down the centuries and continues to influence the collective imagination.
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Can the lunar pull have an effect on amniotic fluid?
The idea that the moon's gravitational pull could influence the water sac in the same way as it does the ocean is interesting, but scientifically unfounded, not least because the pregnant woman's body effectively protects the baby from gravitational variations.
A peak in births when the Moon is full? No conclusive statistics
The most detailed study of this subject was carried out byJill M. Arliss, Erin N. Kaplan and Shelley L. Galvin, who studied over 560,000 births between 1997 and 2001, or 62 lunar cycles.
No significant differences in the number of births, method of delivery or complications of childbirth were observed, regardless of the current lunar phase. So,the full moon has no influence on the number of births, whether spontaneous, premature or caesarean.
At the end of the 1970s, a Spanish study reached more or less the same conclusion. The moon's cycle showed no influence on the birth rate during the period studied (between 1974 and 1978).
| 💡 Please note: while hormones such as oxytocin, prostaglandins and estrogens play a central role in the onset of labor, it must be admitted that not all aspects are yet known, encouraging the entrenchment of various beliefs such as the Moon's influence on the delivery rate. |
Why, as a mother-to-be, it's tempting to believe in it
Like everything else that we don't really understand and that remains somewhat mysterious, it's natural to want to believe that an event as mysterious as the birth of a child could be linked to a celestial body as fascinating and secretive as the Moon.
The idea that childbirth is more frequent on the nights of the full moon is rooted in our collective imagination. If you know several mothers who have given birth on a full moon night, then you'll automatically think there's a connection. A cognitive bias known as confirmation bias, which leads us to favour information that confirms our beliefs, and which explains why the legend is so tenacious, even without scientific proof.
How to calculate and predict your baby's birth date?
Of course, you can count the moons and bet on your baby being born on one of them. But for a more reliable and, above all, more accurate count, rely instead on the due date announced by your gynaecologist. The calculation is simple: add 41 weeks to the date of your last menstrual period.
And don't forget that at your first prenatal ultrasound, the cranio-caudal length of the fetus will be measured, giving you a precise delivery date.
💟 Already know when baby's due? Don't forget your equipment! Feeding bottles, pacifiers, cribs, strollers, bodysuits or diapers, you need a lot of equipment to welcome a child. At Élhée, with our 100% to-your-child collections, we offer you the opportunity to do so with beauty and sanity.
The Moon's effects on our bodies: beyond childbirth
Mood swings, difficulty falling asleep, the appearance of werewolves, an increase in the number of accidents or incidents... full moon nights are accused of awakening all kinds of ills.
Our biological clock, for example, is sensitive to many factors, including solar and lunar luminosity, which may be associated with lighter sleep and/or difficulty falling asleep.
Lunar phases could also be associated with mood and energy variations or heightened emotions, although this link remains unclear. The impact of the full moon is more likely to be indirect, linked to other factors such as circadian rhythms, hormones or individual beliefs.
It's therefore impossible to say that more babies are born during a full moon, just as it's very difficult to establish a causality between a full moon and insomnia or irritability. However, in the common imagination, through popular beliefs, but also in films, TV series and fantasy stories, the Moon possesses, and will no doubt always possess, a powerful and unique aura, surrounded by legends and mysteries.
