Morning Sickness

Overview of Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is a common symptom experienced by almost 70-90% of the expecting mothers during early pregnancy. Nausea (urge to vomit) and vomiting characterise morning sickness that usually clears up by the end of the first trimester. However, in some expecting women, it may continue throughout the pregnancy. You can try out different morning sickness remedies at home to get rid of the condition. Though the condition is called morning sickness, it may occur at any time and can significantly affect your daily life. So, know how you can prevent morning sickness and manage it effectively. Read on to know more about the causes, morning sickness treatment, home remedies and other tips to manage morning sickness.

What Are the Causes of Morning Sickness?

Even though the exact trigger is not clear, hormonal changes during pregnancy play a vital role in causing morning sickness. It can also be due to low blood sugar. Rarely, it is an outcome of any other medical condition that is not related to pregnancy. The severity of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can vary in each case.

Morning Sickness Complications

Commonly, morning sickness is not a harmful condition and does not interfere with your babies’ development. But some moms-to-be may lose appetite, do not gain enough weight and worry about their foetal growth. However, it is best to see your doctor for morning sickness treatment if you are losing weight suddenly and suffering from an extreme case of nausea and vomiting. It could be Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). This condition results in electrolyte imbalances and unintended weight loss. If HG is left untreated, it may harm your foetus. You may be hospitalised and administered fluids intravenously for rehydration. Apart from the HG condition, you should immediately visit your gynaecologist/ doctor if you notice any of the below symptoms:

• Severe nausea and vomiting in the second trimester of pregnancy
• Unable to keep the food down
• Lost weight (2 pounds or more)
• Abdominal pain
• Frequent headaches
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Suffering from fever
• Spotting/ bleeding
• Passing dark-coloured urine infrequently in small quantities
• Experiencing fast heartbeat
• Seeing blood in your vomit

These signs may lead to complications. So, get medical help instantly rather than trying out any self-medication.

Morning Sickness Treatment

You can effectively treat morning sickness at home with folk remedies or with safe prescribed medications. For effective morning sickness treatment, always seek your doctor’s advice. Some of the morning sickness remedies at home include:

• Drinking ginger tea (or) ginger-lemon tea
• Inhaling peppermint or lemon oil
• Eating oranges
• Chewing fennel seeds
• Chewing cloves

Your doctor may prescribe some of the following to treatments for morning sickness:

• Antacids
• Antihistamines
• Antiemetics
• Vitamin B6 supplements

Doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride and other treatments

Tips for Morning Sickness Prevention

For morning sickness prevention, you can try out these suggestions:

• Drink enough water to stay hydrated.
• Eat small meals and snacks. Do not eat full, heavy meals at a time.
• Make lifestyle changes – adopt a healthy routine.
• Avoid unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking, using drugs, spicy food, junk food and others.
• Make a shift to healthy eating habits – include leafy vegetables, grains, dairy, protein and other nutritious foods.
• Start a fitness routine during pregnancy.
• Get enough rest – take small naps.
• Avoid triggers that may cause morning sickness.
• Take vitamins at night.

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