Experts Weigh In On Just How Dangerous Your Jumping Pets Can Be To Your Unborn Baby

Around 66% of American households have at least one pet. So, whether you’re the owner of one solo cat or a whole passel of energetic pups, when you begin trying to conceive, you might start learning some weird things about animals and pregnancy. Maybe you hear the old myth about cats stealing babies’ breath, or how dogs might know you’re pregnant before you. But when you’re expecting, you might also wonder, can my pet hurt my baby if they jump on my stomach? Here’s what an OB-GYN wants you to know about the risks of pets plopping onto, jumping into, and walking over your baby bump.

Can your pet or child hurt your unborn baby if they jump in your lap?

In general, you don’t want to take any blows to your growing bump, whether it’s from a big dog leaping onto your lap or your kids rough-housing next to you on the couch. It’s not so much about your pet’s size or weight, though. “It is more about the severity of force that is applied to the abdomen,” says Dr. Yvonne Bohn, M.D., an OB–GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

Yikes. So, what happens if that does occur? “We do not want anything to jump on, kick, or place direct force on a pregnant person’s abdomen, because if the placenta is hit, separation of the placenta from the uterus can occur, which is called placental abruption. If the separation is significant, it can cause you to go into labor and, depending on the gestational age of the baby, can cause loss of the pregnancy or a preterm delivery,” says Bohn. She adds that this scary outcome isn’t a guarantee any time you bump your bump, but it is a real risk.

Is it more dangerous for your pet or child to jump on your lap as your pregnancy progresses?

According to Bohn, as the pregnancy progresses, the “safe area” of your abdomen during pregnancy becomes smaller. During the first trimester, your uterus is still below your pubic bone, so trauma won’t likely hurt the pregnancy. But once the uterus is out of the pelvic area, after the first trimester, direct trauma can definitely hurt the baby, Bohn says. “If the force is very strong, we usually recommend that the mother be monitored after an event to make sure this has not occurred.” What about if your pets jump up and put their paws on you to greet you when you come home? Bohn says that should be OK, as long as they don’t do it really hard.

So, if your beloved dog likes to jump up to greet you when you get home, it might be time for some doggy etiquette classes. If one of your pets does jump on your stomach after the first trimester, it may be a good idea to call and make an appointment with your OB-GYN, just to make sure everything is OK. This is especially important if you experience vaginal bleeding, an amniotic fluid leak, contractions, or a decrease in fetal movement after the fact.

Expert:

Dr. Yvonne Bohn, M.D., OB–GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California