Nausea and vomiting are the earliest striking symptoms that are seen in pregnancy. In fact they give us an alarm about pregnancy. It’s the first vomiting that makes you feel like visiting a gynaecologist clinic. Pregnancy definitely brings joy and excitement but nausea can take it away! Morning sickness is very common in pregnant women. The first trimester is the time when women are nauseous. This can be cured completely but prevented by making simple lifestyle changes. Including simple and natural food products can calm your senses. It is important to understand the cause of nausea. There could be a triggering factor as well like bad odour or food. Avoid such things and consult a gynaecologist specialist.
When should I be concerned about Nausea?
Pregnancy is a complete change in your body. This is the time the body undergoes complete transition. This predominantly includes hormonal changes. There is an increase in the hormones like oestrogen and progesterone. Apart from that HCG, which is the main pregnancy hormone and is an indication of pregnancy increases in multiple folds. In about 70% of the females there is an increase in nausea in the first trimester. This is generally referred to as morning sickness. This is a type of nausea only which occurs in the morning and is common in the first trimester.
The impact of nausea or morning sickness is that the pregnant women will show aversion to certain food. Feeling queasy and nauseated. Loss of appetite are some other symptoms as well. All the D’s are present dizziness, depression and dehydration. Dehydration can be severe as well.
What is the effect of nausea on the baby?
Morning sickness can be discomforting during pregnancy but it’s normal. Excessive vomiting and nausea can cause a decrease in weight of the baby. Dehydration can cause loss of fluids from the body which will hamper the growth of the baby. Nausea can lead to a lot of stress in your life which can directly affect the growth of the baby. It is studied that females suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum can cause low birth weight. This can lead to low bone density in the baby. The severity will increase as this can cause cardiovascular diseases in the baby. Apart from that, the risk of diabetes increases in the baby. Insulin resistance can occur in later life.
What Causes Nausea?
The cause of discomfort is HCG hormone. This hormone triggers the vomiting centre in the brain and leads to vomiting. Oestrogen and progesterone which are rising as well can create a sense of uneasiness and thus leading to nausea. These hormones affect the GI system of the body and create discomfort. It is studied that progesterone which increases during pregnancy to maintain the lining of the endometrium also disturbs the stomach lining. It increases the release of the acid in the stomach.It relaxes the sphincter, this opens the esophageal sphincter. You might experience a burning sensation around your chest due to acid reflux which can lead to feelings of nausea. Tiredness or fatigue during pregnancy can be a major reason for this discomfort. Apart from that stress can lead to nausea and severe discomfort. One thing is sure that pregnancy brings happiness and excitement in everyone but some days can be really tiring and stressful. There are various ways to reduce stress and thus reduce discomfort. Multiple gestation produces higher chances of vomiting. This is a natural process. There are some pathological causes as well. This is disease induced. There are certain diseases which can cause vomiting and give a feeling of nausea. If you have twins that can give you more discomfort than a single baby. Continuous low blood sugar levels can make you feel nauseous, so put something in your mouth as soon as you get up. Too much sugar can also cause morning sickness. Try making a balance.
During pregnancy, the sense of smell increases which aggravates nausea. Any bad odour increases the discomfort, in fact even fragrance can act as an irritantant. If you have a previous history of birth control pills then you are most likely to experience nausea.
Hyperemesis gravidarum
The first question that hits the mind is how it is different from morning sickness?
Morning sickness usually occurs in the first six to eleven weeks of gestation. If you still feel nauseated all the time then it’s abnormal.This occurs in 80% of the population whereas hyperemesis is a much severe condition. It occurs in the 1% of the population. In this condition the woman is nauseous throughout the day. She feels like puking out everything. This condition requires medical supervision.The other symptoms for the same are fever, chills, abdominal pain and headache. So visit your gynaecologist on a regular basis. Morning sickness allows you to keep some amount of food in your stomach. Hyperemesis is a severe health condition. Visit a nearby gynaecologist clinic immediately if you suffer from this. The previous one is not a severe health condition. In the later one patients can’t keep the food down and can’t even tolerate liquids. There is electrolyte imbalance which needs immediate hospitalisation. Talk to a gynaecologist specialist for the right first aid condition. Severe loss of electrolytes requires monitoring of the heart as well. This is because electrolyte imbalance can lead to cardiac arrest or dysfunction.
Nausea medication
Firstly stop thinking, it’s normal in 80% of the women who are pregnant. This will go by the first trimester. This will not even have any bad impact on you and your baby. So don’t worry. Connect with your gynaecologist on a regular basis to avoid any complications and further discomfort. There are certain things that you should keep in mind. Early treatment can prevent the more severe form of nausea.
Don’t keep your stomach empty. This is the first thing that you should keep in your mind. Nowadays even a gynaecologist specialist will suggest the same. An empty stomach can aggravate nausea. This will happen by an increase in acid reflux. Take small 2-3 meals every two hours just after waking up. This includes a lot of carbs so you don’t feel dizzy. Ask for proteins to your gynaecologist.
Keep yourself hydrated. This means not just water but a lot of electrolytes. This includes gatorade and other electrolytes. Some people feel nauseous with plain water. Talk to a gynaecologist specialist if you feel the same. Lemon water is believed to help in completely cutting the nausea. This is a super drink to comfort your discomfort!
Workout can easily help you overcome this. Exercise in recent studies is found to be safe in the first trimester. Book a yoga class or hit the gym. Nowadays you can even book an online consultation with your health provider.
Take Vitamin B12 on a regular basis, this will help you with morning sickness. Take advice on dosage from your gynaecologist to avoid any overdosage.
Chamomile tea can reduce morning sickness and discomfort. You can try including that in routine if not finding it discomforting.
Ginger is considered magic by many gynaecologists. Make a drink with ginger, lemon and a little sweet to reduce morning sickness.
Handful of almonds will do the job for you. Take almonds in the morning. This will provide your necessary crunch and give a feeling of fullness. Believe in one thing that what you eat will build the foundation of the baby. So include these calcium rich munchies to build a better foundation!
