subject: Morning Sickness - Facts To Get You Started [print this page] Author: Mia Anderson Author: Mia Anderson
What condition affects 88 percent of pregnant women and includes vomiting and nausea? If you guessed morning sickness, then give yourself a nice pat on the back.
Why is it called morning sickness? Most women who suffer from it know that it doesn't just occur in the morning, so the name is quite misleading. It seems like the majority of women have symptoms then, so the name just stuck.
Nausea and vomiting begin anywhere within the first four to six weeks of pregnancy. At first, it might be so mild that a pregnant woman may think she ate something bad the previous night. But when it occurs day after day, most women either take a pregnancy test or visit their doctor to find out what's ailing them.
There is a silver lining for approximately three quarters of expectant mothers: these symptoms only seem to last through their first trimester. Almost half feel completely symptom-free by 14 weeks. Isn't that great news?
You probably want to punch me right now with that last question, but it is good news that the majority have do see a light at the end of the misery tunnel. For a smaller percentage, the tunnel seems never ending because they continue on with morning sickness well beyond the first trimester.
This statistically small population of women can have morning sickness that's so severe they loose weight and suffer symptoms of dehydration. This condition is called hyperemesis gravidarum, also known as severe morning sickness. It affects one in three hundred pregnancies.
Technically, a doctor makes a diagnosis of hyperemesis gravidarum when a woman loses more than five percent of her body weight and shows signs of dehydration. Both are attributed to a pregnant woman not being able to keep enough food and water down because they are throwing up constantly throughout the day.
This is a condition that must be treated by a doctor as soon as possible. The extreme weight loss and dehydration are not good for the pregnant woman or her unborn child. Often times, fluids and nutrition are given to the woman intravenously so the baby gets what it needs to grow healthily.
What is the cause of morning sickness? The only thing anyone knows for sure is that it is caused by pregnancy. I know, it's probably not the answer you were looking for, but it's the only concrete piece I can give you.
There are plenty of theories of why women suffer it like if she is expecting a girl, no nausea or experienced during the time she took birth control, if she is expecting twins (or more), it's due to the helicobacter pylori bacterium, and of course, a change in a woman's hormone levels.
It would be nice to nail down the exact cause, but even if we can't, there are ways to cope with the symptoms. There are treatments that would seem more conventional to most, like medication prescribed by a doctor. There are also treatments that seem very unconventional to most, like acupuncture, acupressure, and herbal remedies.
The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown and no one is even sure when it will begin or its duration. The best news about it is that there are treatments available for relieving the symptoms. What are the best methods of treatment? Each woman is different, so try them until you find one that brings you the most relief.About the Author:
