Mums-to-be trust their mothers more than doctors

Expectant mothers pay more heed to their mothers' advice during pregnancy, as compared to medical advice from doctors, say researchers.

A survey by a team from University of London that spoke to women who gave birth in the 1970s, 1980s and the 2000s revealed that although modern women were more likely to take a mixture of advice, they still prefer family wisdom, especially if they had some worries.

Women who had babies between 2000 and 2010 had a wide range of information and advice to choose from - doctors, midwives, books, magazines and, latterly, the Internet - as well as that from their families, but family advice won out in the end.

"When it comes to the crunch - if women feel sick for example - they will take their mother's or their grandmother's advice.

"They wouldn't necessarily recognise how important it was to them, but it would override the science.

"Taking all the guidelines too seriously leads to anxieties. Lack of self-confidence also can lead to worry about 'doing the wrong thing' which is potentially more harmful than taking the odd glass of wine or eating soft cheese," BBC News quoted Professor Paula Nicolson from Royal Holloway, University of London, as saying.

Jane Brewin, chief executive of baby charity Tommy's, said women had to "strike a balance" about what advice they took.

"It's only natural to want to talk about the significant changes that happen to a woman's body and how she feels; mums and close friends often have first-hand experience and tips that are helpful.

"However we always stress that if any mum-to-be is worried about anything during their pregnancy they should seek medical advice without delay."