Morning Sickness – What’s Going On

Morning sickness, in simple terms, is the nausea and vomiting experienced by 88 percent of women during pregnancy. It is called “morning sickness” because that tends to be the time of the day when these symptoms are the worst for a lot of women.

The unfortunate reality for a lot of women is that the nausea and vomiting do not cease once the morning is over. These symptoms can extend well into the day, and even into the night for some.

The nausea can begin anywhere in the first four to six weeks of pregnancy. It can start out quite mild. In fact, the first few times the nausea occurs, many women think it’s something they ate the night before, and don’t attribute it to pregnancy. The intensity of the nausea, however, increases as the pregnancy progresses, and is accompanied by vomiting.

Approximately three quarters of pregnant woman are done with the nausea and vomiting once they are through their first trimester. About half feel complete relief approximately 14 weeks into their pregnancy. So, there is relief for most.

There are some, unfortunately, who suffer what is known as hyperemesis gravidarum. This is also known as extreme morning sickness. With this, the nausea and vomiting are constant. A woman is technically diagnosed with this condition when she loses more than 5 percent of her body weight, and shows signs of dehydration due to the persistent vomiting.

This condition can last well beyond the first trimester of pregnancy. There are some who have to endure it up until the time their baby is born. The seriousness of this condition demands medical attention; in fact, this extreme morning sickness can lead to hospitalization because of dehydration.

So, what causes morning sickness? No one knows for sure. It’s just known to be a condition of pregnancy. A few theories have been thrown around for years, but none of them have been proven.

If you are expecting a girl, multiple births, or you didn’t experience nausea and vomiting when taking birth control, you are more likely to suffer the symptoms nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy. A few studies have shown a bacterium called helicobacter pylori, responsible for ulcers, to play a role in morning sickness. The most well known thought on the cause is a woman’s changing hormone levels.

No matter what causes morning sickness, there are treatments that can help the nausea and vomiting. A woman’s first line of defense is avoiding the triggers (namely smells) that set off the nausea and vomiting. It isn’t always possible, or convenient, to avoid the smells that trigger her symptoms, so there are various treatments that can help.

Some of the treatment options are:

  • Medication prescribed by a doctor
  • Acupuncture
  • Acupressure
  • Herbal remedies
  • Exercise

Because every woman’s genetic makeup is different, and because each woman’s body reacts differently to external factors, there isn’t one treatment that fits all. What works for one woman may not work for another. The only way to determine what will help relieve the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is by trying various methods of treatment until something works.