More than seventy percent of pregnant women will experience some nausea and vomiting during the first sixteen weeks of pregnancy. This is commonly referred to as morning sickness, although it can happen at any time of day.
While the precise cause of morning sickness is not clear, there are several factors associated with pregnancy that may contribute to the nausea and vomiting. Your hormone levels - estrogen, progesterone and hCG (beta-human Chorionic Gonadotropin) change dramatically during pregnancy. Of these three hormones, doctors believe hCG is considered the most likely culprit. The levels of hCG rise in women immediately following conception and increase until the sixteen week, at which point they begin to diminish.
Minimizing Symptoms
Morning sickness may be unavoidable, however there are ways to minimize the nausea and vomiting symptoms. Try the tips below to help relieve bouts with morning sickness:
- Avoid strong smells or smells that are unappealing to you
- Eat small meals on a regular schedule - do not skip meals
- Include a snack between meals
- Drink 30 min before eating, and not during your meal
- Eat a few crackers first thing in the morning
- Try switching your prenatal vitamins (consult with your doctor first)
- Avoid acidic food, like tomato sauce, and spicy foods
- Try and minimize stressful situations
- Try wearing Sea Bands, accupressure wrist bands developed for motion sickness. They stimulate wrist nerves, which in turn stimulate normal stomach rhythms.
A note about severe nausea and vomiting
A small percentage of pregnant women experience severe nausea and vomiting symptoms, called hypermesis gravidarum. This condition can be life threatening, and you should consult your doctor if your morning symptoms include weight loss, severe nausea, excessive vomiting, headaches or confusion.
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