Pregnant women may experience nausea and vomiting during different stages of pregnancy. In this case, morning sickness may be persistent from first trimester pregnancy, second trimester pregnancy, and the third trimester pregnancy. However, morning sickness regardless of the period during pregnancy is not alarming because nausea and vomiting are rather normal signs of healthy pregnancy.
A recent study about morning sickness revealed that over 2,400 expectant mothers reported feeling the vomiting and nausea during the first part of their pregnancy. In the same manner, reduced risk of premature pregnancy loss was also associated with feelings of morning sickness. This is particularly evident for women who are aged 30 years old and up.
Causes of Morning Sickness
Following ovulation symptoms such as fertilization of eggs and their attachment to the uterine lining, the body starts to release the human chorionic gonadotropin or HCG hormone. Although the cause of morning sickness during pregnancy cannot be exactly identified, it is evident that it starts right after the production of the HGC hormone. In this case, morning sickness at the time of pregnancy may indicate that the pregnant woman should expect a steady increase in the production of pregnancy hormones essential for her condition.
Since the cause for morning sickness, unlike other ovulation symptoms cannot be pinpointed, several theories have been developed in light of such. Aside from the production of pregnancy hormones, other theories on morning sickness during pregnancy include the reduction of fetal exposure when it comes to potentially harmful substances in the diet. Morning sickness may also be due to other changes in the diet including the increased consumption of carbohydrates for nutritional purposes.
In the same way, since pregnant women need to adjust their activities including their intensity to make way for fetal and material tissue growth, morning sickness may also be prompted. While morning sickness is considered a healthy indicator of pregnancy, lack of it is not a point of concern as well. Some women have immunity over the effects of increased production of pregnancy hormones. The condition of the body mainly affects the tendency of a person to develop morning sickness during pregnancy.
Regardless of the possible cause of morning sickness, it is still important to check with your doctor. Feeling morning sickness, while a healthy indicator, can also be a sign of problems with pregnancy. You may be suffering from molar pregnancy. This type of pregnancy refers to the condition wherein the placenta turns into an unusual mass of cysts instead of a full or true viable pregnancy. If you are worried about other types of pregnancy like mucus plug pregnancy which can be associated with symptoms of morning sickness, best get an expert’s opinion.
Is Morning Sickness Dangerous?
Morning sickness causes the person to vomit easily losing a lot of liquid in the process. If you do not consume sufficient amounts of liquid particularly water, it can lead to dehydration. Make sure you get the necessary nutrition and minerals while getting rehydrated. If you experience dehydration quite often than normal it is possible that you are suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum. This already entails medical attention. Common solution for this includes getting an IV drip infusion which is more commonly prescribed for pregnant women experiencing extreme or worse case of morning sickness.
Avoiding Morning Sickness
The basic premise of avoiding or preventing morning sickness mainly has to do with being as comfortable and healthy as possible. Also, you should be careful when moving. Do not rush into going out of bed. It is best that you take your time to get out. No one’s really rushing a pregnant person. If you feel like you are about to experience morning sickness, try to eat immediately after waking up preferably even before you get out of bed.
It might be a good idea to have your husband or partner bring you the food. Another solution would be to prepare a snack that you can leave beside the bed. It is easier to eat at once after waking up if you have food ready by your side. It might also help to use a pregnancy pillow. This can put your body in a relaxed state causing less stress and possibly reduce morning sickness.
Preventing Morning Sickness throughout the day
To avoid morning sickness throughout the day, it is best to eat every two or three hours. However, make sure that you eat only in minimal amounts. Even when you are not entirely hungry, you need the constant supply of food every few hours to minimize the morning sickness symptoms. Drink a lot of water around 10 to 12 glasses per day. If you want other drinks, herbal tea or fruit juice may also be consumed.
You should also avoid caffeine, alcohol and food with a lot of spices and fat. Some treats you can snack on include toasted bread and dry crackers. You should also get as much as rest you can. See to it that your whole body is in a comfortable position. Morning sickness is just a common symptom and condition during pregnancy. Just like implantation bleeding, morning sickness should fade once you reach the period after pregnancy.
Just do not stress yourself out so much. Drink lots of water and eat healthy foods. The way you take care of your body reflects on the condition of your pregnancy and eventually your child. It is necessary that you take care of your body. Likewise, being careful about your health should not just persist all throughout your pregnancy but also in everyday living.
You’ve got some great tips in there for dealing with morning sickness. I’d just like to emphasize that in my own experience, drinking plenty of water is key. I’d often mistake my hunger for thirst – even if you think you’re hungry, you might just need a glass of water and you’ll feel better.