Do Arizona monsoon storms produce babies along with wind, rain?

PHOENIX — The monsoon season, officially underway since Saturday, brings rain, wind and thunderstorms. It also brings babies.

Arizona hospitals typically see a spike in full-term expecting mothers delivering their babies during monsoon storms.

“In Arizona, in general, if you talk to enough labor and delivery nurses, they’ll tell you that whether it’s a full moon or a storm is coming through … it’s going to be a busy night and a busy shift,” said Christina Cunningham, RN manager at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in Sun City West.

She said though it’s mostly anecdotal at this point, there is some research that shows there is “a correlation between the drop in barometric pressure and a spontaneous rupture of membranes, or your water breaking.”

Labor nurses at Banner Del Webb are projecting that they will deliver 190 babies in July, about 40 more than they’re expecting in June.

Cunningham said they’re anticipating similar spikes throughout the monsoon season, which runs until the end of September.

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