Morning Sickness - Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Also called nausea gravidarum, morning sickness can lead to nausea and vomiting. It usually occurs during pregnancy. Approximately 70 percent of pregnant women experience morning sickness and nausea & vomiting can be serious in 3 percent of the patients. In fact, there’s some evidence that it can be considered as a sign of healthy pregnancy.

In most cases, morning sickness causes no unpleasant effects & doesn’t have any health risks to the baby.

Morning Sickness Symptoms

Vomiting and nausea are the common symptoms of morning sickness. These are usually triggered by certain spicy foods, odors, etc. Sometimes, there’s no such triggers. The symptoms usually start appearing between 6 and 9 weeks of pregnancy.

In some cases, patients can lose weight. If you have severe symptoms, it’s necessary to seek professional help from a licensed doctor.

Morning Sickness Causes

What exactly causes morning sickness is unknown. However, some medical experts say that hormonal changes may develop symptoms. They believe that during pregnancy, the levels of estrogen are about 100 times more than the levels in normal situations. Additionally, the levels of progesterone increase during pregnancy. 

Usually, severe nausea and vomiting is associated with a medical condition, such as liver disease. According to some experts, morning sickness may be associated with hCG—the pregnancy hormone.

Any woman can experience morning sickness during pregnancy. However, risks increase in ladies who have experienced nausea and vomiting from migraines, motion sickness, etc. 

Additionally, women who had used birth control pills before pregnancy are more likely to develop morning sickness. Other risks include a family history of hyperemesis gravidarum or experienced during a previous pregnancy or more than one baby.

Morning Sickness Treatment

To diagnose morning sickness, doctors check urine or blood tests. High levels of ketone in the urine may result in developing vomiting.

There are many strategies to ease morning sickness. Eating toasts in the morning and preferring 5-6 small meals instead of 3 big meals can help.

Additionally, you should avoid spicy, fatty foods, and add bananas, rice, gelatin, eggs, and tofu to your diet instead. Drink plenty of water during the day.

Tiredness can make symptoms worse. Thus, getting plenty of rest can help. Moreover, eating biscuits at least 15 minutes before getting up in the morning can be useful.

You need to determine what triggers nausea and vomiting. Thus, you can avoid them to reduce risks of morning sickness.

Some experts say that acupressure, applying pressure on certain points in the body, can ease symptoms.

In conclusion, morning sickness is linked to vomiting and nausea. It usually occurs during pregnancy. Medical experts say that it doesn’t cause any complications to the patient and the baby. But, if you don’t get a treatment, morning sickness can result in dehydration, decreased urination, etc.

Treatment techniques include avoiding certain foods and smells, eating many small meals instead of a few big meals a day, drinking plenty of water, and rest.

If you experience severe symptoms, visit a board-certified doctor for professional help.