Morning sickness is one of the signs of early pregnancy. Morning sickness is nausea that may be accompanied by vomiting. Although the name implies morning sickness the pregnant women may experience the nausea at any time of the day. It is more sever on an empty stomach. Around half to two thirds of all pregnant women will experience morning sickness to some degree, particularly in the first trimester.
For most women, morning sickness begins around the fourth week of pregnancy and resolves by the 12th week. However, some women have to endure morning sickness into their second semester, and an unfortunate few experience nausea and vomiting for the entire duration of their pregnancy. In most cases, morning sickness doesn’t harm the woman or the unborn child. However, severe morning sickness may lead to weight loss and dehydration. This condition is called hyperemesis gravidarum and it needs prompt medical attention.
Cause of morning sickness
The exact cause of morning sickness is not yet known. According to some theories the increased levels of hormone estrogen and the increased sensitivity to smells may cause nausea and vomiting in pregnant women.
How to beat morning sickness
Morning sickness usually resolves by itself between 12 to 16 weeks in most women. Here are some simple steps in order to overcome the nausea and vomiting.
Eat small snacks at short intervals
Morning sickness is aggravated on an empty stomach. So it is important to eat small snacks at regular intervals. This also helps in maintaining the blood sugar level.
Ginger may help to reduce to severity of morning sickness
Ginger is one of the home remedies that have been widely used to beat morning sickness. Drink ginger ale or ginger tea.
Lemons may help to alleviate the nausea
Sniffing lemon slices may help to beat the nausea and vomiting.
Keep plain biscuits at hand
Eating simple snacks like plain biscuits or nibbling slowly on a crunchy apple can help to overcome the nausea.
Eat simple nutritious and balanced diet
Pregnant women usually have intense cravings. It is important to satisfy your cravings but at the same time you need to limit the intake of spicy food and oily and greasy food that will only aggravate the nausea and vomiting.
Vitamin B6 may help to reduce nausea
Your health care professional may prescribe vitamin B6 tablets to overcome nausea.
Seeking medical help
Some women may experience excessive nausea and vomiting preventing them to eat or drink anything. The vomiting can be so severe that they may lose weight and experience symptoms of dehydration. This condition is called as hyperemesis gravidarum. The pregnant women suffering from this condition needs immediate medical attention. Excessive vomiting leads to malnutrition and dehydration and it may lead to complications in the mother as well as the unborn baby. If you’re diagnosed with dehydration, you may be hospitalized so you can receive intravenous hydration with fluids, glucose, and electrolytes. You may also be given medication to decrease your nausea and vomiting and help you keep food down.
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