Information overload poses health risks during pregnancy

By Catherine Armitage
Updated May 19 2016 - 10:13am, first published May 7 2016 - 9:03pm
A typical sample of brochures provided to women during pregnancy. Photo: Women's Health Australia
A typical sample of brochures provided to women during pregnancy. Photo: Women's Health Australia
Despite official health advice, 30 per cent of smokers don't quit while they're pregnant. Photo: Julian Kingma
Despite official health advice, 30 per cent of smokers don't quit while they're pregnant. Photo: Julian Kingma
Emily Oster has analysed hundreds of the studies used to justify pregnancy rules. Photo: Matthew Gilson
Emily Oster has analysed hundreds of the studies used to justify pregnancy rules. Photo: Matthew Gilson

Pregnant women are so overwhelmed with messages about what to do and what not to do that many are tuning out. They keep boozing and smoking in alarming numbers and most make only minor modifications to their diet, the leading study of Australian womens' health shows.

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