The effect of the lunar cycle on frequency of births and birth complications.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the lunar cycle on the frequency of deliveries and/or delivery complications.


METHODS
This was a retrospective cohort, secondary analysis of 564,039 births across 62 lunar cycles that were identified from North Carolina birth certificate data from 1997 to 2001.


RESULTS
Using analysis of variance and t-tests, we found no significant differences in the frequency of births, route of delivery, births to multigravid women, or birth complications across the 8 phases of the moon or between documented high- and low-volume intervals of the lunar cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
An analysis of 5 years of data demonstrated no predictable influence of the lunar cycle on deliveries or complications. As expected, this pervasive myth is not evidence based.
Arliss
Jill M
JM
Mountain Area Health Education Center, Asheville, NC 28801, USA.
Kaplan
Erin N
EN
Galvin
Shelley L
SL
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001723:Birth Rate; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016081:Moon; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors