| Pregnancy Articles : Morning Sickness |
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24 October 2007
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Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is one of the early signs of pregnancy and is very common in the first trimester. Some women find they are sick, others find that they feel nauseated. Although the name insinuates that this is a morning condition, it can in fact continue at various points throughout the day, and in a few cases it can last all day. Morning sickness is often at its worst around weeks 9-10 and in the majority of pregnancies it stops by about week 14.
Although not often, sometimes the sickness can be severe and need medical treatment. This is known as hyperemesis gravidarum and it can lead to dehydration and weight loss. If this occurs it needs to be treated in hospital so that fluids can be replaced into the body.
It is not known exactly what causes morning sickness in pregnant women, although one theory is that it is due to the sudden rise in the pregnancy hormone (HCG). The level of this hormone rises tremendously in the first trimester, and is at its highest around week 10, the body then naturally begins to produce less of this hormone after week 12. This coincides with most patterns of morning sickness. It is also suggested that emotional stress and environmental changes could affect morning sickness. These include smells, travelling, some foods, fumes and smoke. It is believed that pregnant women become more sensitive to smells and taste, it is a natural process of identifying harmful things around us and protecting our unborn.
Although no treatment is usually necessary for morning sickness, in some cases it can affect your day to day living. If you have morning sickness and it is disrupting your life then it is advisable that you contact your GP. Your doctor may prescribe some tablets to stop the vomiting, but only medicines prescribed by your GP should be taken whilst pregnant. It is not advised to buy any over the counter anti-sickness medicines whilst pregnant. In severe cases your doctor may admit you into hospital so that fluids can be given directly into your vein by an intravenous drip. This is important to re-hydrate the body, as severe vomiting can result in the body loosing essential fluids.
You can try to prevent morning sickness by drinking plenty of non-dehydrating fluids. Alcohol and caffeine based drinks should be avoided. Many women recommend ginger for nausea, this can be in any form, ginger biscuits, tea, root ginger or ginger ale. Eat a good diet, small frequent meals help the nausea feeling. Keep rooms well aired and avoid strong smells or smells that are known to you to make you feel worse. Some times travel sickness bands can help by applying pressure to the wrist.
Morning sickness does not harm the unborn child and rarely leads to any complications such as weight loss and dehydration. If you begin to feel dizzy, have confusion, weight loss, headaches or collapse then it is important to drink plenty of water and see a doctor. Treatment is very effective, and prevents severe vomiting.
This is a members article written by mum2joshua
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