Pregnancy Nausea – When Is It Time To Seek Medical Treatment
Morning sickness is an unfortunate reality of pregnancy that most don’t talk about when they discuss “the miracle” of pregnancy; nausea, when coupled with vomiting doesn’t feel like any kind of “miracle” to expectant mothers. In the majority of cases, the nausea and vomiting are mild enough that pregnant women can treat these symptoms on their own.
There are cases, however, where the nausea and vomiting are so extreme, that pregnant women are not able (and should not) to treat it on their own. The condition of severe and excessive nausea and vomiting (vomiting periodically throughout the day, not just in the morning) associated with pregnancy is called hyperemesis gravidarum.
Approximately one out of every three hundred pregnant women is afflicted with this condition. The diagnosis is usually made after the doctor has ruled out other medical conditions such as liver problems; gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers, appendicitis, and food poisoning; preeclampsia; migraine headaches; metabolic disorders like hyperthyroidism, diabetic ketoacidosis, and Addison’s disease; or taking too much of certain medications.
The combined weight loss of approximately 5 percent of a pregnant woman’s body weight and signs of dehydration, as well as ruling out the medical conditions listed above, will probably lead a doctor to the diagnosis of hyperemesis gravidarum.
A pregnant woman’s weight loss shouldn’t be the biggest concern. Weight loss can be common during the first trimester of pregnancy. How much a woman loses will determine if it’s a problem. The real concern for a pregnant woman is dehydration.
60 to 70 percent of the human body is composed of water. It plays an important role in almost every body process, from digestion to thinking. Dehydration means you’re depleting your body of something that’s essential for it to run properly.
Water aids in the digestion of food. When a pregnant woman becomes dehydrated, she can actually think she’s going into labor. A condition called dyspepsia (stomach pains at regular intervals, like labor) has caused many women to go to the hospital mistakenly, only to find out they were dehydrated, and not going into labor.
Water also helps with brain function. It serves as a delivery system for neurotransmitters, which helps your central nervous system feel pain. Dehydration actually causes this delivery system to thicken and slow down, effectively making it harder for your central nervous system to function properly.
Dehydration can also lead to a weakened immune system, which, as you know, is what helps you fight against diseases. Because water is found in your lymph, and lymph is the fluid of your immune system that is tasked with fighting illness, dehydration causes your lymph to weaken and let in illness.
As you can see, vomiting associated with morning sickness leads to dehydration in pregnancy. Dehydration is dangerous to a woman and her unborn child because it can lead to such things as loss of central nervous system function, stomach pains that mimic labor pains, and increased illness. If you have any signs of dehydration, you should seek the advice of your doctor right away.
