Women who are pregnant often experience symptoms such as nausea and vomiting and it is called morning sickness. It can strike at any moment of the day or night.
Pregnant women often suffer from this condition and especially at the times of the first trimester. Some women have to live with this condition as long as they are pregnant. There are many medications and home remedies are available to ease your condition. If you want to take medication for your problem, then we would advise you to consult your primary care provider before you would like to go for it. These medications are able to get you relief from the symptoms of this condition like nausea and vomiting. The following are the other names of this condition. These names include
- Nausea/vomiting of pregnancy (NVP)
- Pregnancy sickness
- Nausea gravidarum
- Emesis gravidarum
Overview
Eighty percent of the women who are pregnant are affected by this condition. Women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or the overuse of hormonal contraception also experience the symptoms similar to this condition. One should not worry if they are experiencing the symptoms of morning sickness as it doesn’t cause any damage to the baby. This condition is considered as the common type of sickness during pregnancy. It has been observed in a study that this condition can be a sign of healthy pregnancy in women who are pregnant.
Pregnant women who are not affected by this condition may suffer from miscarriages and stillbirths compared with the women who are experiencing the symptoms of this condition. The main cause of the condition is still not known as more research studies need to be done in order to find the cause of this condition. Another study revealed that taking a small amount of ginger during pregnancy can manage the symptoms of this condition.
What are the indicators of morning sickness?
People may think that the symptoms of this disease can occur only in the morning. But the truth is they can occur at any time of day despite its name. In very rare cases, it occurs at midnight for some women who are pregnant.
Morning sickness is very common during the first trimester of the women who are pregnant. The following are the symptoms of morning sickness. These includes
- Nausea
- Vomiting
We would advise you to consult your primary care provider when the above symptoms become severe. Women who are pregnant may get diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum if the above symptoms become serious. It has been observed in a study that one to two percent of all pregnant women is affected by the condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum. Pregnant women experience the symptoms of this condition during the sixth week of pregnancy.
Pregnant women think that they can get rid of these symptoms after the twelve weeks of pregnancy. It is not the case with all the women as some women need to deal with these symptoms from the starting point to the ending point of their pregnancy.
If you are unable to deal with this condition, then we would advise you to make some changes to your diet and also daily have eight hours of sleep. This condition can interfere with your daily chores and it will become difficult for you to manage it. In order to manage these symptoms, we would advise you to get support from the members of your family and also from your close relatives and friends. It is ok to call your neighbor if your family members are not available at that moment.
When to call your physician
It is better for you to call 911 or healthcare provider if the symptoms of this condition become severe and also call your physician if you are unable to keep your liquids down and feeling dizzy all the time. It is important for you to seek medical attention immediately when you are experiencing a fast heart rate and noticing blood when you vomit.
What are the causes of this condition?
The main cause of morning sickness is still unknown to the researchers and more studies yet to be conducted. All women who are pregnant don’t react the same to this condition and severity differs from one woman to another. However, physicians suspect that rise in the level of hormones while the first few weeks of pregnancy may be the main cause of this condition, and also not having optimal levels of blood sugar is another common cause of this condition in the women who are pregnant.
Traveling all the time, given birth to two or three children at a time, emotional stress, and excessive fatigue are the factors can increase your chances of getting diagnosed with this condition. This condition can vary from one pregnancy to another. Your symptoms may become severe during your first pregnancy, and it may be very mild in future pregnancies.
What are the possible complications of this condition?
Loss of appetite is the possible complication of this condition due to symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Women who are pregnant need not worry about their babies as this condition doesn’t harm their unborn baby. It is considered as not harmful and having this symptom during the first trimester of your pregnancy can be a good sign of healthy pregnancy.
We would advise women who are pregnant to consult their physician immediately if you are continuously experiencing the symptoms even after the first three to four months of their pregnancies. Keep an eye on your weight and one should consult their physician if they are gaining any weight and pregnant women are suppose to gain weight during pregnancy. The serious complication of this condition is severe vomiting and loss of weight due to nausea and it is known as hyperemesis gravidarum. It can lead to imbalances in the electrolytes and loss of weight. If these complications become severe and left untreated, it can damage your baby.
Loss of weight, bleeding, unable to keep food down, severe pain in the abdomen, running on a high temperature, frequent headaches, rapid heartbeat, blood in your vomit, and infrequent urination with a little amount of dark-colored urine are the serious complications of this condition.
We would advise you to have a word with your medical professional immediately if you are experiencing the above complications. It can harm your baby if it’s left untreated.
How is morning sickness diagnosed?
If you are experiencing the symptoms of nausea and vomiting is enough for your physician to diagnose your condition. For better understanding, he or she may recommend some tests to make sure that you and your baby are safe. The following are the tests recommend by your physician. These tests include
- Urine test
- Blood chemistry tests
- Ultrasound
Urine test
This test is used to confirm whether you are dehydrated or not.
Blood chemistry tests
These tests can provide the necessary information to your doctor and it gives information about the electrolytes in your blood. These tests can also confirm whether you are anemic, deficient in certain vitamins, and also reveal the information about the low levels of fluids in your body.
Ultrasound
In order to get a clear picture of your baby, your physician may recommend an ultrasound to you. This test can provide clear images of your baby to the doctor with the help of soundwaves.
How to treat this condition?
Treatment is not necessary in most of the cases of this condition, the symptoms often go away. Medical attention is not necessary for treating morning sickness. The following are the things that can make your condition better. These tips include
Rest
We would advise you to take rest if you are suffering from morning sickness. Tiredness can make your condition worse.
Consume more fluids
It is better for your increase in your intake of fluids and it should be done in small amounts rather than drinking in a large quantity. You can control vomiting by consuming more fluids and lollipops also can help.
Food
Instead of having three big meals, we would advise you to have six small portions of meals and make sure that you are consuming high-carbohydrate meals.
Identifying triggers
Recognizing the triggers of this condition slightly easy than other conditions. Try to avoid it as much as you can and it can reduce the severeness of the symptoms of this condition.
Hospitalization
If the symptoms persist even after following all the home remedies or if the symptoms become severe, then we would advise you to consult your doctor immediately and he or she may recommend medications to your problem or if it is needed your physician may admit you in the hospital and keep you in observation for one to two days.
Ginger supplement
Taking a ginger supplement can help you to ease the symptoms of morning sickness during pregnancy. It has been observed in a study that taking this supplement during pregnancy can help you to ease the symptoms of this condition.
B-6 and doxylamine
As per the medical authorities, this drug is approved to treat the symptoms of morning sickness during the first trimester. It has been observed in a clinical trial that seventy percent of pregnant women are able to manage the symptoms of morning sickness by taking this drug. The following are the possible side effects of taking this drug. These side effects include
- feeling sleepy all the time
- pain in the stomach
- feeling nervous all the time
- dry mouth
- frequent headaches
Diclegis
Food and drug administration approved this drug to treat morning sickness in pregnant women. It has been observed in a study that forty-four percent of pregnant women are able to get relief from the nausea by using this drug.
Conclusion
Morning sickness is a common problem experienced by pregnant women during the first trimester. You need to recognize the symptoms of morning sickness and consulting your physician when your symptoms become severe is the best option for you. There are several easiest ways to manage this condition like drinking plenty of water, avoiding spicy foods, and eating small meals.
References
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02813430120819
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40272-014-0065-5
- https://www.aafp.org/afp/2014/0615/p965.html
- https://academic.oup.com/bja/article/84/3/367/264600
Sirisha B