|
About Morning Sickness During
Pregnancy
How to Overcome Morning Sickness
Frequently Asked Questions
It is estimated that 50% to 90% of pregnant
women experience morning sickness or a more severe condition, hyperemesis
gravidarum, in which women vomit several times a day. Morning sickness
typically will start between the 4th and 6th weeks of pregnancy, and
should typically subside by the 14th or 16th week.
While it is said that morning sickness is a sign of a healthy pregnancy,
the lack of it does not mean that there is anything wrong with your baby
or pregnancy. Some research shows a correlation between lack of morning
sickness and a higher incidence of miscarriage, but there is also just as
much research indicating that the correlation is not there.
There are many factors that can contribute to causing morning sickness.
Some causes may be:
-
rapid hormone changes.
-
a tricky stomach. That is, your
gastrointestinal tract may be particularly sensitive.
-
enhanced sense of smell and sensitivity to
odors.
Other theories about the causes of morning
sickness have included a lack of vitamin B6, or a psychological reaction
to the stress of having become pregnant. Few studies have conclusively
shown either of these to be true or untrue.
There are a few ways to minimize the sickness, but they don’t work for
everyone. Try keeping crackers on hand, I prefer saltines for some reason.
Back
To Top
How to Overcome Morning Sickness during Pregnancy -
To help overcome morning sickness, you need
to keep a few things in mind which are listed below:
-
Do not rush out of bed immediately. Sit
back and relax to avoid queasiness resulting from sudden movements
-
Always keep light but healthy snacks by
your bedside so that you can calm your empty stomach.
-
Once you are pregnant, make it a habit to
take small meals at frequent intervals to avoid regurgitation or
indigestion. Do not stuff your stomach with heavy meals.
-
Enjoy what you eat. Eat slowly to help it
digest easily.
-
Avoid too much spicy, oily or greasy foods
during pregnancy.
-
Yogurt is also an excellent choice when
fighting morning sickness and is easy on the stomach too.
-
Make it a habit to give your body adequate
rest whenever you feel tired. Taking a short nap during the day is also
helpful.
-
Include a variety of healthy and balanced
diet to provide your body the required nutrients during pregnancy.
-
Include more carbohydrates like baked
potato or white rice.
-
Morning sickness might be due to the iron
in the prenatal vitamins that you take. You can always consult your doctor
to avoid such condition.
-
Excessive vomiting may lead to dehydration.
So, you must drink extra liquids to compensate for the loss.
-
Keep yourself in a relaxed state of mind.
Reading a book or doing a puzzle can keep your mind away from your morning
sickness.
Following the above suggestions can help
you in overcoming or at least reducing morning sickness during early
pregnancy.
Back
To Top
Frequently Asked Questions-
Q-1- When do nausea and/or vomiting (NVP or
morning sickness) generally occur ?
In the majority of women NVP develops between the 4th and 8th week of
pregnancy (or 4-8 weeks from your last menstrual period). However, it can
start as early as the day after conception or as late as the 19th week of
pregnancy.
Yes, your health care professional should know how you are feeling.
Studies have actually shown that nausea itself is the most distressing
symptom of morning sickness. It is recommended that you speak to your
health care professional any time your symptoms are affecting your
wellbeing or activities of daily living.
NVP is very common; fifty to eighty per cent (50 - 80%) of pregnant women
suffer from this medical condition.
For most women NVP starts between the 4th and 8th week of pregnancy and
ends between the 12th and 16th week. However, NVP can last longer, for
some, up to the very end of the pregnancy. A recent study showed that
about 10% of pregnant women suffering from NVP will still have symptoms
after 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Your baby's health may be affected if you lose too much weight and your
health is compromised. If you don't drink sufficient fluids or are
vomiting frequently, you may be hospitalized for excessive dehydration.
Also, NVP may affect your appetite making it very difficult to maintain a
balanced diet. Therefore, it is important that you speak with your health
care professional about your NVP.
Yes, there is a treatment containing vitamin B6 and an antihistamine (doxylamine),
called Diclectin®. Currently it is available only in Canada. It has been
extensively studied for over 30 years and taken by more than 33 million
women. Every study has shown that Diclectin is safe for the baby, no
matter how early and for how long you take it during pregnancy. It has
been specifically formulated for NVP.
Unfortunately, NVP is neither predictable nor preventable. However, it is
reported that women taking multivitamins may have less severe symptoms of
NVP. If you are planning a pregnancy, your health care professional may
initiate a treatment of prenatal vitamins. Also, if you develop NVP while
pregnant you may prevent the condition from worsening with immediate
medical treatment.
It is a common belief that nausea stops by the end of the first trimester.
Studies have shown that some women have NVP throughout their pregnancy. If
you have nausea, speak with your health care professional as soon as
possible. There are safe and effective treatments available.
Some studies linked the presence of NVP with having a baby girl. However
the results were not conclusive. Each woman and each pregnancy is unique
in terms of NVP irrespective of the sex of the baby.
NVP has been reported in the literature for centuries and we still
actually don't know its specific causes. There exist numerous theories on
the subject, however, NVP is generally thought to be caused by many
factors; higher levels of hormones, physical changes to the bodies of
pregnant women or greater sensitivity to odours. If you have NVP, speak
with your health care professional for treatment recommendations.
NVP is not predictable, however, studies published in the medical
literature suggest that about half to two thirds of women that had NVP in
a previous pregnancy will have similar symptoms in subsequent pregnancies.
A study reported that women who have experienced severe nausea and
vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) or Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) in a previous
pregnancy might benefit from taking a medication with an anti-vomiting and
anti-nauseant action before or immediately at the start of symptoms in a
subsequent pregnancy. The fact that preventive symptom management with
such drugs appears to be helpful in preventing severe NVP is encouraging
for women like you, who have experienced severe NVP in previous
pregnancies. Based on the severity of NVP in your previous pregnancy,
treatment should be started as soon as you become aware of your new
pregnancy, and no later than the beginning of NVP symptoms. Early
treatment may prevent the condition from getting worse. I would recommend
that you consult your health professional and discuss all available
treatment options.
Unfortunately, we do not know the answer to this question. In some
families all pregnant women have NVP, but in others it's specific to the
individual. Each woman and each pregnancy is unique. If you have NVP,
speak with your health care professional for treatment recommendations.
When you are vomiting frequently, it is difficult for you to eat properly
and to maintain a balanced diet. It is recommended to speak to your health
care professional for proper follow-up and treatment.
Speak with your health care professional about your situation for
suggestions on alternative treatments. PregVit is a new generation
prenatal multivitamin specifically formulated to solve this problem.
Each woman's tolerance to discomfort is highly variable; however when the
symptoms of NVP affects your wellbeing or the activities of daily living,
you should speak with your health care professional for treatment
recommendations.
It is common belief that the majority of pregnant women have nausea in the
morning only. Less than 20% of pregnant women actually has nausea only in
the morning ("morning sickness"). The majority of pregnant women (80%)
have NVP throughout the day "all-day sickness". Speak with your health
care professional for treatment recommendations. If your wellbeing or
activities of daily living are affected by your NVP, speak with your
health care professional for treatment recommendations.
Some studies have associated NVP with a lower risk of miscarriages,
however, not all women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Fifty to eighty per cent (50-80%) of pregnant women suffer from NVP.
Conversely, twenty to fifty per cent (20-50%) are not subject to this
problem. Symptoms of nausea and vomiting should not be considered a
confirmation of pregnancy, as the absence of these symptoms should not be
viewed as a poor sign of pregnancy outcome.
No, symptoms commonly associated with NVP include heartburn, dyspepsia
(gastric distress), indigestion, mood changes, and dehydration. It is
important that you discuss your symptoms with your health care
professional.
Each individual is very unique when it comes to the timing and severity of
NVP. If the initial treatment regimen is not relieving most of your
symptoms, speak with your health care professional for the adjustment of
your treatment to your specific needs. Diclectin tablets are of a "delayed
release" nature which means that it will only begin relieving your
symptoms of NVP a few hours after swallowing the tablets. The 2 tablets
taken at bedtime will help manage the symptoms of NVP in the morning hours
when you awake. A tablet taken in the morning will help control the NVP
symptoms you may be experiencing in the afternoon and a tablet taken in
the afternoon will help control your night time NVP symptoms.
Yes, in some cases, pregnant women will have NVP until the end of their
pregnancy. Therefore, therapy may be extended until time of delivery. It
is important to discuss your symptoms with your health care professional.
Unfortunately, NVP can have a significant impact on pregnant women. If the
symptoms of NVP are affecting your wellbeing and activities of daily
living, speak with your health care professional for immediate treatment
recommendations.
Back
To Top
Related Article -
|
