Morning sickness typically begins about the 6th week of pregnancy. This is about the same time that the placenta begins serious production of HCG or “human chorionic gonadotropin,” a special pregnancy hormone. In most women, symptoms of nausea and vomiting resulting from this pregnancy hormone peak during the 8th or 9th week and wane after the 13th week.
Many factors are proposed explanations of the high incidence of nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy. Studies have demonstrated a significant correlation between impaired liver function (as shown by an elevated serum bile acid level) and the symptoms of morning sickness. The liver is responsible for detoxifying the hormones produced during pregnancy. If the liver is not functioning properly, toxic substances will circulate in the blood and eventually stimulate the nausea and vomiting center located at the base of the brain. Low levels of vitamin B6 and deficiencies of vitamins C and K may also be causative factors.
The good news is that morning sickness seems to be a sign that the pregnancy is going well. One study found that women who vomit during their first trimester are less likely to miscarry or deliver prematurely. However, if the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy continues without relief, you can’t keep anything down, or you feel dehydrated and are not urinating, you may need hospitalization to receive intravenous fluids, glucose and vitamins. In this condition, the body breaks down fat for energy, producing ketones, which can damage the neurological development of the baby.
Royal Recommendations for Prevention and Treatment
1. Avoid consumption of refined foods (e.g., white sugar), processed foods (e.g., white flour), and fatty foods. (See “Allergy—Foods.”) Anything fried seems to aggravate the nausea of pregnancy. Also abstain from alcohol, caffeinated products, tobacco (See “Smoking Addiction”) and artificial sweeteners as they have all been found to cause birth defects.
2. Do not go without eating or drinking because of the nausea. Remember, the child growing inside you nourishes itself with your blood sugar 24 hours a day. If glucose is not replenished, your blood sugar levels can drop rapidly. Complex carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables are good sources of sugars. Fruit juices can provide you with quick relief.
3. Instead, eat small, frequent meals. (See “Hypoglycemia.”) Snack on whole grain crackers with nut butter or cheese. Keep toast near the bed and begin eating before arising. This will also help to combat the heartburn caused by the extra acid your stomach produces when you’re pregnant. (See “Heartburn” and “Indigestion.”)
4. Drink plenty of fluids such as clear broth, water, fruit juice and herbal teas. This helps to prevent dehydration, as well as replenish valuable electrolytes, that can occur because of nausea.
5. Regular exercise significantly reduces many of the physical and psychological symptoms associated with morning sickness. Increase your activity level by walking from 10-45 minutes three to five times a week. This, along with yoga, acupressure, meditation, and massage, can help to relieve tension and stress that can exacerbate the nausea of pregnancy.
6. Take an additional 50-100 mg of vitamin B6 every four hours. Almonds are a good food source of B6. Increase your magnesium to 500-1000 mg every morning as long as you are experiencing nausea. The herb, ginger, is especially helpful in capsule or tea form, for controlling the nausea of morning sickness. In fact, ginger has been shown to be superior to Dramamine in treating the symptoms of seasickness.
7. Check your medicine cabinet. Some medicines can stunt fetal growth. These include Alka-Seltzer, Di-Gel, estrogens, Maalox, Pepto-Bismol, Rolaids, and Tums. Aspartame may affect brain growth in the fetus. The large quantities of caffeine from coffee or colas can also cause birth defects.
8. Identify and avoid triggers of morning sickness. During pregnancy your sense of smell becomes very sensitive and certain odors can trigger the nausea at any hour of the day or night. Stress and fatigue are other possible triggers.
9. Supplements known to be of benefit include vitamins C and K (which can be obtained by injection, B-complex (with additional vitamin B6 and choline), the mineral magnesium, and the amino acid L-Methionine.
10. Herbs known to be helpful include basil, ginger, peppermint, and red raspberry.
11. Homeopathics recommended are: Anacardium (when food relieves nausea), Apomorphia (when nausea and vomiting is uncontrolled such as in “hyperemesis gravidarum”), Cocculus (if nausea is worse when moving), Colchicum (if vomiting is caused by the smell of food), Colocynthis (if abdominal cramping is present), Ipecac (if nausea and vomiting are persistent), Natrum Phosphoricum (if a sour taste is present in the mouth and hunger after vomiting), Nux Vomica (when vomiting occurs early in the morning--especially in coffee and tobacco users), Sepia (if bile is vomited), Veratrum Album (if there is circulatory weakness).
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