PUBLIC relations consultant Lu Minru no longer watches hit crime television series CSI.

Now five weeks pregnant with her second child, she has been advised by friends and family to avoid shows with shocking moments or gory scenes because they say these may affect her well-being or physical appearance of the baby.

'Now, I merely listen to it from the study, while my husband watches in the living room,' says Ms Lu, 36. She also steered clear of frightening shows in her first pregnancy 15 months ago.

The issue of whether pregnant women should be exposed to horror shows was in the spotlight recently when Malaysia's National Censorship Board issued a warning.

It advised pregnant women and people with heart problems to avoid watching Don't Look Back, a Malaysian horror movie, which chronicles a man's probe into his fiancee's mysterious death.

The movie, now screening in Singapore, has scenes containing exorcisms and shrieking apparitions flying through the air.

But three gynaecologists tell LifeStyle that there is no scientific evidence to show that watching horror movies is harmful to pregnant women.

Dr Lai Fon-Min from A Company for Women says the fear invoked from catching a spooky film is the same irrespective of whether a woman is expecting or not.

'There has been no data to show that shock or stress will cause a problem in pregnancy,' he says.

He adds that studies, however, have shown that if a woman is happy and less worried during her pregnancy, she tends to have an easier pregnancy and delivery.

TLC Gynaecology Practice's Dr Paul Tseng says there is no hard and fast rule linked to whether a pregnant woman should avoid horror movies.

'It all depends on the person - some are more sensitive to shock and others are less so,' he says.

He adds that any emotional upheaval can initiate premature labour, especially for women who are full term, 'but such cases are very rare'.

But there have been reports that stress, particularly when sudden or severe, can induce premature labour, which can result in the baby's death.

Raffles Hospital's consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Watt Wing Fong notes that the heart rate 'may go up during the frightening moments, and the stress hormone may increase'.

But she adds that this is unlikely to have a significant impact on the pregnancy as the exposure to the increased level of stress hormones is usually transient.

Still, Ms Sarah Wong, 34, a legal secretary who is six months pregnant with her first child, is not taking any chances.

'I don't want to scare myself unnecessarily, so no more horror movies for me,' she says, adding that she's sticking to light-hearted stuff.

taysc@sph.com.sg