What are the Main Causes of Morning Sickness During Pregnancy?

The thought of having to endure morning sickness during pregnancy can be nauseating.

 If you are experiencing bouts of nausea, vomiting, and feel weak during pregnancy, this article is for you.

What is morning sickness?

Morning sickness is a condition that some pregnant women experience during pregnancy. The special thing about this condition is that it is characterized by nausea and vomiting. A publication by PubMed revealed that 70-80% of women experienced morning sickness.

Causes of Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is complex and does not have a single specific cause.

 Some argue that morning sickness is caused by the hCG hormone, mainly found in the placenta.

 Research on pregnant women revealed that the higher the HCG levels, the stronger the nausea symptoms.

Other possible causes of morning sickness include:

• Fluctuations in blood pressure.
• Low blood sugar
• Sudden changes in metabolism.

When do Pregnant Women Experience Morning Sickness?

There is no specific timeline on when you will likely experience morning sickness in your pregnancy journey. However, in most cases, most women start to experience morning sickness symptoms from the fifth week after conception.

Some researchers argue that the sickness is linked to a surge in gastric juice in the stomach in the morning.

However, this argument is considered weak since, in some cases, the morning sickness might stay that way throughout the day.

When do the Morning Sickness Symptoms End?

Different women experience morning sickness for varying durations.

Some experience these symptoms just when they wake up, while for others, the symptoms might persist until late afternoon.

Most women have admitted that the morning sickness symptoms go away at 14 weeks.

In other circumstances, the symptoms can go on as late as halfway through the pregnancy.

The smallest percentage (15%) of women may battle against morning sickness to the end of the pregnancy.

What are the Symptoms of Morning Sickness?

Different symptoms characterize morning sickness. These are the symptoms of morning sickness symptoms that you are likely to experience during your pregnancy:

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Heartburn/reflux
• Excessive saliva is linked to nausea.

Is Morning Sickness Bad for the Unborn Baby?

The good thing is that morning sickness does not threaten the unborn baby’s well-being. Your baby might gain very little weight at the peak of morning sickness. However, this does not mean it is under any threat.

Despite this normality, it is advisable to take enough fluids to reduce dehydration which may occur due to vomiting.

What are the Remedies for Morning Sickness?

There are two approaches to managing morning sickness:

• Lifestyle change
• Diet change

1.      Lifestyle Change

These lifestyle adjustments can help you alleviate morning sickness symptoms:

• Inhaling scents from orange, lemon, and mint.
• Taking some rest before lying down after a meal.
• Having adequate rest.
• Rinsing your mouth after vomiting to reduce bacterial build-up on your teeth and tongue.
• Avoiding nausea triggers such as flickering lights and odors.
• Staying in a well-ventilated room.
• Infusing prenatal vitamins into snacks.

2.      Diet Change

Morning sickness means that you have a limited choice of foods to eat. However, these tips will help you overcome the severity of morning sickness:

• Carry your favorite snacks to meet your cravings.
• Drink adequate fluids but avoid taking caffeine at all costs.
• Take protein-rich snacks in-between meals. Examples are peanut butter, nuts, yogurt, and cheese.
• Eat several small portions of meals daily to allow the body to digest instead of a single large meal.
• Avoid foods rich in spices or fats. Instead, eat bland foods such as eggs, bananas, plain baked potato, and broth.

Which groups are at risk of severe morning sickness?

Although most women experience varying levels of morning sickness, these groups experience extreme levels of the same:

• Women are pregnant with twins or more.
• Overweight or obese women.
• Women with sleep deprivation.
• Stressed or depressed women.
• Women with a history of motion sickness.
• Women suffering from trophoblastic disease, which causes abnormal cell growth in the uterus.

When should you call your doctor?

Although morning sickness is a common pregnancy symptom, there are instances where you should seek medical help. These cases demand that you talk to your obstetrician:

• Extreme fatigue.
• Vomiting blood.
• Vomiting three times or more in a day.
• Fast heartbeat.
• Extreme weight loss.
• Having no or few little pee.
• Nausea lasting the whole day for more than a week.  

Bottom Line

No pregnant woman yearns for morning sickness because everything about it is awful. The symptoms discussed above will most likely be part of your routine for some time during the pregnancy. The lifestyle and diet tips above can help you manage morning sickness like a pro. However, if you feel the symptoms are severe, don’t hesitate to talk to your obstetrician for professional input.