Many pregnant women scrutinize the lunar calendar to estimate the birth of their baby. Between myth, reality, astrology and beliefs, how can we decipher the true from the false?
What are the origins of the myth of the moon's impact on births?
The moon cycle is often linked to women and to all kinds of beliefs about fertility, menstruation, birth, sleep, character and astrological signs.
In mythology, many fertility deities are linked to the earth's satellite. Chandra in Indian mythology, Artemis in Greek mythology, Ixchel the Mayan goddess of water. The belief in a connection between the moon and events linked to gestation dates back to ancient times.
Written references appear in classic texts such as Plato'sBanquet and Aristotle's History of Animals. Here, Aristotle evokes the idea that the waxing phase of the moon symbolizes a period of gestation, while the full moon would facilitate childbirth and life.
In Athens, it was inadvisable to marry during the full moon (new moon). This was followed by the"honeymoon", when honey was a sign of fertility rather than love.
How can I calculate my due date using the moon?
It's impossible to calculate an exact due date using the moon.
The average pregnancy lasts 280 days, 41 weeks and 9 months after the last menstrual period, which corresponds to 10 lunar months.
To calculate your due date using the moon, you need to know the 4 key moments and the length of the cycle , and wait for it to repeat itself 10 times : new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter.
- A lunar cycle is renewed each time the Earth, Moon and Sun are aligned;
- It takes 27.3 days for the Moon to circle the Earth and return to the axis of the Sun;
- It takes 29.5 days for the three stars to align.
Can the moon be used to predict the date of childbirth?
Since the moon's cycle is repetitive, it can be used as a calendar. It's therefore possible to synchronize your pregnancy calendar with the moon and obtain the closest possible date for delivery.
It is believed that 3 days before and 3 days after a full moon are added to estimate the arrival of a baby.
Here are the full moon dates for 2025.
- Monday January 13, 2025
- Wednesday, February 12, 2025
- Friday, March 14, 2025
- Sunday April 13, 2025
- Monday May 12, 2025
- Wednesday June 11, 2025
- Thursday, July 10, 2025
- Saturday, August 9, 2025
- Sunday September 7, 2025
- Tuesday, October 7, 2025
- Wednesday, November 5, 2025
- Friday, december 5, 2025
How does the moon affect childbirth?
According to legend, the force of the moon's attraction, as well as the gravity acting on our planet's tides, seas and oceans, would also have an effect on the body, which is over 65% water. The attraction of the amniotic fluid would cause the water sac to rupture.
What does science have to say about the moon's impact on childbirth?
The belief that the phases of the moon influence the number of births is widespread, even among maternity ward staff. What does science advise?
- In the 2000s, a Belgian midwife explained in her dissertation that she had studied over 3,000 births in 4 different hospitals. Her findings showed that the same number of babies were born on full-moon days.
- In 2005, the Mountain Area Health Education Center in North Carolina (USA) carried out a study of almost 600,000 births observed over a 5-year period, corresponding to 62 lunar cycles. The study concluded that there is no correlation between the full moon and births. The researchers did not observe more births on full moon nights, during either the waning or waxing phases.
- More recently, in 2021, a study by Chambat, Fougères and Elyildirim analyzed 38.7 million births in France over a 50-year period. After adjusting the data for variations linked to vacations and other sociological factors, and applying rigorous statistical methods, the researchers observed a slight 0.4% increase in births on full-moon days.
How does the moon influence pregnancy?
Women's average cycle length is 28 days, while the lunar cycle is 29.5 days. So it's possible for menstruation and ovulation to occur at the same time as a full moon.
According to several scientific studies, the moon has no influence on getting pregnant, nor on the sex of the child (boy or girl).
In fact, it has no impact on conception, the quality of ovulation, sperm encounters or the chances of implantation.
Moon and childbirth FAQs
Which moon makes you give birth?
The full moon is said to influence the number of births, to the detriment of other periods: the new moon, the first quarter and the last quarter.
Does the full moon influence childbirth?
Several researchers and studies have shown that the full moon phase has no influence on childbirth or its complications.
How many moons does it take to give birth?
It takes around 10 lunar cycles after the start of the last menstrual period for a pregnancy to reach term and for childbirth to occur.
