Carmageddon Causes SoCal Baby Boom?

NBC 4 recently sat down with the Souferians, a West Los Angeles couple who will be welcoming a baby boy into the family about nine months after , when the 405 Freeway closed over a weekend last summer.

The well-traveled 405 Freeway was shut down from July 16-18 while crews performed demolition work on the Mulholland Bridge. During that time, officials warned Angelenos to  so that detour roads wouldn't be at a standstill.

The Souferians appear to be one of the many couples who heeded that warning, resulting in an early-April due date for their baby. Obstetrician Dr. Robert Katz told NBC 4 that the time spent off the road could have helped couples conceive.

"When people relax, whether they are vacationing or whether the freeway is closed down, they do have more of a chance than when everybody’s stressed out," Katz said.

According to the NBC 4 report, the OB/GYN department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said its prenatal classes are "fuller than they often are," indicating that there could be a high number of births on the way.

For the complete story from NBC 4, click here.

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