Keeping Morning Sickness in Check
Up to 80% of pregnant women suffer from some form of morning sickness (which can generally be defined as nausea or vomiting that starts in the first trimester and can last anywhere from a few months to the full term). Although most cases are mild, it is a condition that should not be taken lightly. In fact, if not treated properly, it can result in serious side effects to the mother and child.
The cause of morning sickness is not well known because it has not been deeply researched. It is believed to be hormonal in nature — the body's way of adjusting to the hormonal changes during pregnancy.
Severe morning sickness can result in social and mental problems for the mother-to-be. She may feel isolated as a result of shying away from normally enjoyable social activities—due to the unpredictable nature of morning sickness. A woman who may have been seen as the family caregiver may feel she is now the one who needs constant help. She may also have feelings of being rejected or hopeless as well.
Unchecked morning sickness can even cause such health problems as dehydration, weight loss, depression, anxiety, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, lesions to the central nervous system, damage to liver and other organs of the mother as well as the fetus, and even spontaneous abortions of otherwise healthy fetuses. If a mother-to-be loses 5% of her weight as a result of morning sickness, the fetus can be born with a lower birth weight (increasing the odds of infant mortality).
Vomiting and nausea can go from mild to moderate, and in some more rare cases can result in a condition known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum, when vomiting is quite severe. With Hyperemesis Gravidarum, it is even more critical to actively treat the vomiting. Women suffering from this level of vomiting should be hospitalized. Actually, thousands of women each year are hospitalized due to harsh cases of morning sickness—some as a result of lack of early detection and treatment.
There are many ways to deal with morning sickness, such as eating smaller meals throughout the day (to keep blood sugar levels on an even keel) and eating a high-protein meal in the evening (as protein lasts longer in the body and will be there in the morning). Many rely on the old “keep crackers by your bed” method. But, they do not always to the trick, and can offer a false sense of security. For these reasons, the best thing to do at the first sign of any level of morning sickness is to keep a continual dialogue with the doctor so that any changes or problems can be averted early on.
Keeping morning sickness in check and treating it as any other condition that could potentially harm the mother or child is the best way to ensure that most women will be able to remember it as a minor inconvenience when their little bundle of joy arrives.