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| Pregnancy |
7/1/2009 |
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| Feeling Queasy? |
| Written by: |
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Tonia Cowling |
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Morning sickness refers to the nausea and vomiting that some women experience when they become pregnant. It’s considered a misnomer, because morning sickness can strike at anytime of the day or night, and sometimes lasts the entire day.
Nausea can start as early as four weeks during the pregnancy and usually tapers off around 13 weeks as a woman starts her second trimester, although some queasiness can linger throughout the pregnancy.
Because everyone’s body is different, the reasons for morning sickness can vary with no known specific cause. Doctors believe that the combination of many physical changes taking place in the body could be the reason.
The most widely accepted theory is that morning sickness is caused by the buildup of hCG (human chorionic genadotopin) in a woman’s system. The hCG is produced after implantation takes place and continues to increase until the twelfth week of pregnancy, at which point the levels begin to decrease.
Others believe that morning sickness is caused by progesterone, the dominant hormone during pregnancy. This hormone relaxes the muscles of the stomach, slowing down digestive processes and the emptying of the stomach, which leads to stomach acid buildup.
Why do I have morning sickness and others do not?
Most women experience some morning sickness, but the degree may differ. Some are more sensitive to stimuli than others. You are more likely to have nausea or vomiting if these situations apply:
• You have a history of nausea/vomiting as a side effect from taking birth-control pills. Increased levels of estrogens can cause nausea even before pregnancy.
• You have a history of motion sickness.
• You suffer from nausea with migraines.
• You are pregnant with twins or multiples. Higher levels of hCG and hormones can make nausea worse, although there have been women expecting multiples without nausea at all.
• There may be a genetic predisposition to morning sickness during pregnancy. Did your mother or sister have morning sickness? If so, there’s a higher chance you may, too.
Will morning sickness hurt my baby?
No. However, if you cannot keep any foods or fluids down and begin to lose a lot of weight, let your physician know. There is another form of morning sickness called “hyperemesis gravidarium,” which occurs in only a small percentage of women (.5 percent-2 percent). This disorder causes symptoms of severe nausea, dehydration, maternal weight loss and rapid heartbeat. Doctors treat severe cases with medications and supervise closely to assure the safety of the mother and unborn baby until birth.
What can I do to get relief?
Yes, there are remedies to help with morning sickness. For most, some of these suggestions will help. However, it’s a trial-and-error scenario. Try these tips and see which ones work for you:
• Crackers. Lots and lots of crackers. Place some by your bedside to munch in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning before arising. Do this before getting out of bed.
• Try to eat small frequent meals throughout the day so that your stomach is never empty and to neutralize stomach acid.
• Avoid fatty foods that take a long time to digest. Also steer away from rich, spicy, fried, and acidic foods that may irritate the digestive system.
• Try to avoid foods or smells that trigger your nausea.
• Try eating more carbohydrates like plain baked potatoes, white rice and toast.
• Sometimes the iron in prenatal vitamins bothers some women. Talk to your doctor for advice or to make changes. It’s best to take vitamins with food.
• Try gelatin desserts, frozen popsicles, ginger ale, decaffeinated sodas and pretzels. Not the healthiest of foods — but they may get you over the hump.
• Sip on water and fluids throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
• Give yourself time for naps and to relax.
• Suck on lemons or eat lemon ice.
• Try ginger — either capsules, tea, sticks or crystallized.
Over-the-counter relief
• Ask your doctor about taking vitamin B6. It helps to ease nausea in some women.
• Emetrol is a phosphated carbohydrate solution. It’s a sweet syrup, which reduces smooth- muscle contractions.
• Try an acupressure wristband, some of which are marketed for seasickness.
Are there prescriptions my doctor can give me?
All the drugs in this category are classified as FDA pregnancy category B, which means that “animal studies” have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus but there are no adequate studies in pregnant women. You doctor may suggest:
• Intravenous therapy to hydrate you without the use of drugs if you are suffering from hyperemesis gravidarium.
• Phenergan (Promethazine) seems to be the common drug prescribed by physicians. It comes in two forms -- suppositories and pills. Side effects usually include drowsiness, and it can become ineffective after extended use.
• Bendectin (Debendox in the UK) is a combination of doxylamine succinate and vitamin B6. The United States stopped marketing this drug, but it has become available in Canada under the name Diclectin. However, there have been published studies linking this drug to correctable birth defects.
• Reglan (Metaclopramide Hydrochloride) is a drug that has been given to people with stomach problems, but has shown to be effective in treating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy as well.
Tania Cowling is a freelance writer, former preschool teacher and author.
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