Morning sickness, Afternoon sickness,
Pregnancy Nausea, Before dinner, middle of the night, anytime sickness.
It's that "queasy, don't want to smell, taste or even look at food"
feeling during pregnancy. And no one knows what causes nausea during
pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a time for joy and wonderment—not morning
sickness and nausea.
If you are suffering from the nausea and vomiting of morning sickness,
you are not alone. There are approximately 6,000,000 pregnancies per
year in the United States, and 50 - 85 percent of those expectant
mothers experience morning sickness. That means three to five million
women annually suffer from the nausea and vomiting associated with
pregnancy.
Morning sickness usually begins during the 4th - 8th week of pregnancy
and typically lasts through the 16th week. Although it is commonly
known as "morning sickness," 80 percent of those exhibiting symptoms
experience nausea that lasts all day.
For many women, morning sickness is an inconvenience that passes
quickly. For others, however, it can interfere with family and work,
and is, in fact, "second only to preterm labor as the most common
reason for hospitalization during pregnancy." [1]
Changes in hormone and/or glucose levels are suspected to be the
primary causes of morning sickness, although many believe there are
additional contributing factors as well. Treatment options are limited,
and many women are reluctant to seek treatment at all, choosing instead
to wait it out as a normal part of pregnancy.
In 2004, the leading academy of obstetricians and gynecologists issued
guidance for physicians for the treatment of morning sickness. [2]
After reviewing the data, the academy determined that B6 in the form
of pyridoxine is the first line of defense and should be considered
as the primary course of treatment. Additionally, the academy recommends
that women take a multivitamin in the months leading up to conception,
as there are indications that supplementation leads to a reduction
in the occurrence of morning sickness symptoms.
