By Amanda Cianni Dealing with Morning Sickness
G rowing a human being is a beau- tiful, miraculous experience. Yet, as much of a blessing it is to carry a child, there are quite a few side effects of the process that are not super fun for the mother-to-be. One of the most dreaded aspects of pregnancy is morning sickness, and we are covering what it is, why it happens, what can be done to ease symptoms, and finally, when to seek help. Happy pregnancy, momma– you’ve got this! What Is Morning Sickness? To call pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting “morning sickness” is quite misleading. Morning sickness can hap- pen at any time of the day. And despite being thought of as a first trimester symptom, it can happen during any and even all stages of pregnancy. It can feel like just a little bit of queasiness in the morning or be all-day unease accompa-
nied by vomiting. It is also important to note that yes, every woman is unique, but so is each pregnancy any woman has. A woman may experience little to no morning sickness with a pregnancy and significant morning sickness with a subsequent pregnancy– or vice versa. When a pregnancy test shows up as positive, that is the result of increased levels of human chorionic gonadotro- pin (hCG). This is the hormone that helps the placenta develop; it also helps produce other necessary hormones for viable pregnancies. The influx of rising hCG, estrogen, and progesterone can cause nausea and vomiting associat- ed with morning sickness in the first Why Does Morning Sickness Happen? trimester. These levels peak around the end of the first trimester, reach a plateau, and then gradually decrease.
This is why some women only experi- ence morning sickness relief in the second trimester. Another cause of morning sickness, beyond the first trimester, would be an altered metabolism combined with low- ered blood sugar levels. Pregnancy puts a woman’s body in overtime, all systems are working extra hard to create a new life. During the second trimester, a woman’s need for calories increases by about 300 per day to supplement the increased basal metabolic rate that pregnancy creates. The way glucose is processed and insulin sensitivity can cause a blood sugar drop, which can also cause nausea. While pregnancy cravings are often talked about, aversions are less so. For many pregnant women, former favorite foods may suddenly become repulsive.
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