Approximately 75 percent of all pregnant women experience morning sickness. For most women, nausea is limited to the first three months of pregnancy. However, in extreme cases, symptoms can persist throughout the entire nine months. Often, nausea is accompanied by other symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting or diarrhea. We reveal what helps against nausea in pregnancy and which home remedies are particularly effective.
Causes of nausea during pregnancy
Why many pregnant women get nauseous again and again, is not yet definitively clarified. However, pregnancy nausea is probably related to the pregnancy hormone HCG. Studies have shown that women who frequently feel nauseous during pregnancy have a particularly high HCG concentration in their blood. HCG levels peak between the eighth and tenth weeks of pregnancy – this helps explain why many women experience a marked decrease in nausea after the third month.
When does nausea occur and for how long?
In general, when pregnant women feel nauseous and for how long varies greatly. Some feel nauseous only in the morning, while others also suffer from discomfort during the day and in the evening. For many women, nausea starts from the fifth week of pregnancy and stops after the first three months. In some cases, however, the unpleasant symptoms may persist longer. Often, hunger, fatigue and stress make the symptoms worse. So try to avoid these conditions as much as possible during pregnancy: Eat enough, sleep enough and always build relaxation breaks into your daily routine. In addition, the discomfort can also be more severe in a multiple pregnancy.
Pregnancy nausea is nothing to worry about
The fact that women are more likely to feel nauseous during pregnancy is not a cause for concern: the baby will be fine despite your discomfort. In fact, nausea during pregnancy is even considered a positive sign. For example, women with morning sickness statistically suffer fewer miscarriages. If you are spared attacks of nausea during pregnancy, however, you should not worry about this. After all, every body reacts differently to pregnancy.
Dizziness and fatigue as accompanying symptoms.
Nausea is usually not the only sign of pregnancy – often there is also fatigue and dizziness at the beginning. To prevent dizziness, eat regularly and get enough exercise. Also avoid rapid movements – for example, when getting up from a squatting position or from bed. If the dizziness occurs mainly in the morning when you get up, you can prevent it with light morning exercises in bed. If you suffer from headaches or fever in addition to nausea, you should consult a doctor to be on the safe side. It is possible that other health problems are behind your complaints.
Nausea during pregnancy can be dangerous
For most women, nausea during pregnancy is annoying but harmless. But if the discomfort is very severe, pregnancy nausea can also have negative effects on the health of mother and child. An extreme form of morning sickness is called hyperemesis gravidarum. It is when sufferers vomit more frequently per day, eat and drink little or nothing, and lose weight. The frequent vomiting can cause the baby to lack important vitamins and minerals. In most cases, the increased loss can be made up for by targeted intake through food and drink. However, in severe cases, the pregnant woman may need intravenous care in the hospital.
Home remedies for morning sickness
With nausea in pregnancy, you do not always have to immediately resort to medication – often the discomfort can be relieved with simple home remedies:
- Eat a snack in bed before you get up in the morning – for example, a few cookies or some fruit. Alternatively, you can also try a lightly sweetened tea. Because nausea is often particularly pronounced in the morning due to low blood sugar levels.
- Have small snacks throughout the day – this will keep you from feeling hungry, which usually makes nausea worse. Well suited are small nibbles such as cookies, nuts, crispbread or rusks.
- If you have to throw up more often, always supply the body with enough fluids after vomiting. Drink small sips of still water or tea. Fruits such as melons or grapes, which have a high water content, are also good.
Nausea during pregnancy can be triggered, among other things, by certain strong odors. Triggers include, for example, cigarette smoke, coffee, perfume and greasy or strongly spiced foods. If you are sensitive to these smells, try to avoid them in the future if possible.
Medications for morning sickness
For fear of harming their unborn child, many women do not want to take medication during pregnancy. However, if nausea cannot be relieved with home remedies, you should ask your doctor about suitable medications. Pregnant women are often prescribed medications containing the active ingredient dimenhydrinate, an H1 antihistamine. In addition, preparations containing vitamin B6 can help against nausea. If the symptoms are very severe, other medications may also be given. Seek advice on this from your treating physician as well.
Homeopathy during pregnancy
Similar to pharmaceutical drugs, homeopathic remedies in pregnancy should only be done after consultation with a doctor, pharmacist or your midwife. This is because some remedies can induce premature labor. Suitable substances include:
- Arsenicum album
- Ipecacuanha
- Nux vomica
- Pulsatilla pratensis.
Relieve morning sickness with acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine. During treatment, thin needles are inserted into specific points on the body. This is to restore a disturbed energy flow. More and more midwives have mastered this art – just ask your midwife. It has not yet been scientifically proven that acupuncture actually helps against morning sickness. However, many women report that acupuncture has significantly improved their symptoms. If you suffer from nausea more frequently, you should simply try it out once to see whether the procedure has an effect on you or not.
