INTRODUCTION: Morning sickness is the “sea sick” feeling you get during pregnancy and can be, but is not always, accompanied by vomiting. These nauseating feelings, which can actually come over you at any time of the day, can really put a damper on your excitement about being pregnant. It can only become a problem for your unborn child if you can’t keep any foods or fluids down and begin to lose a lot of weight. This problem and the others that happen around this time are nearly always mild enough to manage on your own and occurs in 50% to 80% of new mother’s to be.

NAUSEA AND VOMITING: Nausea and vomiting can be one of the 1st signs of pregnancy and usually begins around the 6th week after conceiving and continue beyond your 4th month of pregnancy. These symptoms usually stop 12 to 14 weeks into pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints of pregnant women and can be worsen by lying on her side.

This nausea seems to stem, at least in part, from rapidly increasing levels of estrogen, which causes the stomach to empty slower. You should always contact your physician: If you are suffering from excessive nausea and vomiting that prevents you from holding any food down, If vomiting is accompanied by pain or fever, If nausea and vomiting persists well into the second trimester (after 13th week).

TREATMENT: The most important thing is to inform your doctor when these signs appear and discuss possible options. Extreme morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) may require a stay in the hospital and treatment with intravenous (IV) fluids and medications, including anti-emetics, which control nausea.

Some women do not seek treatment for morning sickness because of concerns about treatment safety. Yet, once symptoms progress, treatment can become more difficult. Mild cases may be resolved with lifestyle and dietary changes, and safe and effective measures are available for more severe cases. Your best course of action for managing the nausea and vomiting is home treatment. These measures include: Changing what, when, and how much you eat.

Therefore, during the 1st trimester use home treatment for your symptoms, unless your doctor recommends medicine. Taking Vitamin B6 or Vitamin B6 plus doxylamine (an antihistamine) is safe and effective and should be considered a 1st line treatment. Although ginger ale or ginger tea may reduce mild nausea, your best bet for treating with ginger is with routine daily use. With any over-the-counter supplement, including herbs, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor first, particularly to make sure the symptoms aren’t related to a more serious problem that needs medical treatment.

However, few women gain complete relief from morning sickness with any treatment. If you’re looking for medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment, consult your doctor or other qualified medical professional.

CONCLUSION: Morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the day or night, is one of the classic symptoms of pregnancy. The term is a misnomer, since it can happen at any time of the day or night and is more common with women who are under a great deal of stress, either at work or home.

Symptoms can vary from mild, occasional nausea to severe, continuous, disabling nausea with bouts of vomiting and usually improves by the 13th or 14th week of pregnancy, but some women continue to experience nausea into their 2nd trimester. Also, it may be more severe if this is your first pregnancy or if you’re carrying multiple fetuses.

The majority of women who experience morning sickness notice a dramatic improvement after the first trimester - at approximately 13 weeks. For prevention: Eat frequent small meals, every 2 or 3 hours, rather than three large meals daily. Try ginger, which has proven effective in combating morning sickness. Proven ginger products include: ginger tea, ginger candy, and ginger soda. Call your MD if your signs do not improve, despite trying these remedies.

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