Is It Morning Or All-day-everyday Sickness?

Around half to two thirds of all pregnant women will experience morning sickness to some level, specially in the first trimester. It is associated with varying degrees of nausea and vomiting. For most women, morning sickness begins close to the fourth week of pregnancy and resolves by the 12th week. However, one in five women endure morning sickness into their second semester, and an unfortunate few experience nausea and vomiting for the entire duration of their pregnancy. Morning sickness is typically at its worst early in the day, therefore its name, but it can strike at any moment during the day or night. Despite investigation, the actual cause remains a mystery, but theories include hormonal changes and fluctuations in blood pressure. In most cases, morning sickness doesnt harm the woman or the unborn child. However, severe morning sickness that includes weight loss and dehydration needs prompt medical attention.



Morning sickness is caused by the rapid hormonal changes a woman's body undergoes in pregnancy. This is especially difficult in the first few months while a pregnant woman slowly adjust to the hormonal change. This is why a lot of women experience less morning sickness after their first trimester.



The hormonal changes include increasing estrogen, progesterone and hCG (human chronic gonadotropinis) levels. The hCG is made by cells that form the placenta, which nourishes the egg when it has been fertilized and becomes attached to the uterine wall. Combine this with an enhanced sense of smell and more stomach acid than usual and its no wonder women get sick to their stomach during pregnancy.



According to studies, its not completely clear how these hormones cause morning sickness, but there are a few theories that have been commonly accepted by the medical community. Progesterone tends to soften and relax muscle tissue --- which is the natural process of preparing a pregnant woman's body for labor and delivery. It may also prevent pre-term labor by keeping the uterine muscles relaxed. Unfortunately it also relaxes all the muscles involved in the digestive process, which causes food to be processed slower, thus causing excess stomach acid.



So far no one seems to know why hCG levels may cause morning sickness, but it is believed that there is some connection, simply for the reason that morning sickness seems to get worse as hCG levels go up in the beginning of pregnancy. They start to decline around the end of the first trimester, which is also the time when many women notice their morning sickness progressively improve as well.



Pregnant women are also concerned that constant vomiting may threaten their unborn baby. Vomiting and stretching may strain the abdominal muscles and cause local aching and soreness, but the physical mechanics of vomiting wont harm the baby. The fetus is perfectly cushioned inside its sac of amniotic fluid. In fact, numerous studies have discovered that moderate morning sickness is associated with a reduced risk of miscarriage. However, prolonged vomiting eventually leads to dehydration and weight loss, a situation which could probably deprive the child of correct nutrition and increase the risk of the baby being underweight at birth.



Unrelenting morning sickness can have a profound effect on a womans quality of life, preventing her from working, socializing and looking after her other children. Pregnant women enduring morning sickness report higher levels of psychological stress, including anxiety and depression. This prompted the fallacy that morning sickness is purely psychosomatic, which means that the womans fears and anxieties trigger her physical discomfort. However, there is no research to further substantiate these claims.



Nevertheless, morning or all-day-everyday sickness, the most important thing is always seek medical advice, especially if symptoms become severe. Treatment options can include drugs that wont harm the developing baby.