Pregnancy is a marvelous experience. You’ve created a life, and in a couple of months, you’ll have your beautiful bundle of joy in your arms. But sometimes it’s not that lovely. Although many expectant mothers walk about with a glow of pregnancy and a big smile on their faces, the experience may be less than picturesque — particularly if, instead of a smile and a glow, you’re becoming best friends with your toilet because you can’t seem to stop throwing up. Identifying the underlying reason for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy may keep this issue within check, so keep reading to learn about likely reasons for vomiting and nausea during pregnancy.

Reasons for Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy — *This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that I only work with companies and individuals that I trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is a frequent cause of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. But although it is labeled morning sickness, nausea and vomiting could also occur at any time of the day. The precise reason of morning sickness is unclear, although it is likely to be due to hormonal changes that have weakened your body. Morning sickness is estimated to occur in up to 80% of all pregnancies, with nausea and vomiting beginning around week 6.

The great news is that conditions normally improve in the second trimester, but some women get morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy. Early signs and symptoms of morning sickness include nausea and vomiting. Intriguingly, some females don’t even assume conception until the first surge of morning sickness strikes them. After several days of feeling sick to their stomach, they take a test to determine or strike out pregnancy.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Sadly, morning sickness is not the only factor to worry about during pregnancy, nor is it the only trigger of nausea throughout this “special phase of life.” Many women have experienced severe morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum throughout pregnancy. It’s possibly caused by an increase in hormone levels. If you already have morning sickness, you will only vomit once a day and could be able to deal with nausea and vomiting. If you experience hyperemesis gravidarum, you might vomit upwards of 3 – 4 times a day and suffer nearly persistent nausea.

Throwing up with hyperemesis gravidarum can get so severe that certain women who are pregnant lose weight and run the risk of dehydration due to failure to store food and fluids. And as if barfing the whole day isn’t terrible already, it can even induce dizzy spells and lightheadedness. Hyperemesis gravidarum symptoms typically worsen in weeks 9 to 13 and then get better. So the symptoms may improve when you progress further along during pregnancy.

Foodborne Illnesses

This is another trigger of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that women often do not foresee. While it’s easy to relate some form of nausea to morning sickness, it may simply be attributed to consuming contaminated food while pregnant. Anybody really is at risk for food contamination, but expectant mothers are more in danger because pregnancy makes the immune system weak. As a result, it gets harder for the body to combat germs and bacteria.

Signs include those that are similar to morning sicknesses, such as nausea and vomiting. Although, unlike morning sickness, food poisoning can cause other symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, and fever. These signs occur quickly after consuming contaminated food within 24-48 hours. The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to fully cook meat. Also, store food in the refrigerator immediately after cooking, rinse all fresh fruits and vegetables, and eliminate unpasteurized milk, juice, or eggs from your pregnancy diet. Consult the best gynecologist for diet advice.

8 Pregnancy Diet Tips for Growing a Healthy Baby — .

Causes and Risk Factors

Although the hormones are most likely to blame for hyperemesis gravidarum and morning sickness, certain causes raise the likelihood of facing either or both complications during pregnancy. For instance:

- Expecting multiples (twins, triplets, or more).
- During pregnancy, you have a family or personal history of vomiting.
- You are susceptible to certain tastes or smells.
- You’ve had a diagnosis of migraine.
- You’ve had a history of motion sickness.

The greatest chance of foodborne disease is consuming raw, uncooked/undercooked food or vegetables and fruits that have not been washed. Bear in mind that although the above are typical causes of vomiting during pregnancy, other conditions can also occur during pregnancy that may induce nausea and vomiting.

Complications/Side-effects

Ordinary morning sickness during pregnancy is unpleasant, but you are not expected to suffer from serious complications. However, if you experience hyperemesis gravidarum, extreme vomiting can cause dehydration or reduced urination. And if you are unable to restock your fluid level, you might have to be admitted to receive intravenous (IV) fluids. This syndrome can also damage the liver, cause deficiency of Vitamin B, and slower growth weight in your child’s development, so it is essential to evaluate your choices with the best gynaecologist.

Foodborne illness should not be treated lightly. These conditions, which may include listeria and salmonella poisoning, may induce premature birth or even miscarriage. It is also important to remember that various forms of vomiting can trigger a number of problems. Thus, although morning sickness does not contribute to dehydration, foodborne illness or hyperemesis gravidarum may vary based on the severity of nausea.

Complications That Can Occur During Birth — .

Conclusion

You wouldn’t need a gynecologist for morning sickness that isn’t extreme. Home remedies can be adequate to treat symptoms. However, if you vomit several times each day, and if you have any symptoms such as dizziness, rapid heart rate, or if you can’t hold fluids down, you should contact your doctor. Although the vomiting can be miserable during pregnancy, it is often normal and typically nothing that should worry you. It occurs in a lot of pregnancies, and it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you or your child. But if you have any questions or need affirmation, please do not hesitate to contact your doctor for vomiting during pregnancy.

Author Bio:

Lesli is a Content Writer and loves to blog about health-related articles. She enjoys learning and specializes in guest blogging, blog publishing, and social media. She is an avid reader and loves writing impeccable content pertaining to health care. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering.

Hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG for short, is a condition that affects less than 3% of pregnant women but can have dreadful side effects.

Due to the fact that it’s so uncommon and hard to pronounce and the majority of people have no idea what it is, it’s often described as “an extreme case of morning sickness.” Unfortunately, this description tends to lead others to believe that it’s no big deal. But hyperemesis gravidarum is NOT just an extreme case of morning sickness!

While it is characterized by nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, it is actually so much more than that. The side effects of hyperemesis gravidarum include dehydration and malnutrition which then cause one problem after another.

If you really want to know what it’s like living with this cruel condition, here are an additional 11 side effects hyperemesis gravidarum has on a pregnant body.

1. Fainting Spells

Actual fainting spells and feeling faint are a very common complaint for pregnant women with HG. Dehydration, low blood pressure and low blood sugar levels are all to blame. Standing or even sitting upright for long amounts of time can be very difficult to do. You may want to invest in a blood pressure monitor to help you keep track.

2. Muscle Atrophy

Women suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum spend most of their days lying in bed (when they’re not hanging headfirst over the toilet bowl). With very little energy to spare and a steady stream of sleep-inducing medications, there’s not much else they can do. This usually results in their muscles becoming weak and stiff. A gentle massage with some pain relieving essential oils can greatly help.

3. Leg Cramps

I can honestly say that the pain of leg cramps while bedridden with hyperemesis gravidarum was the closest thing to labor pains I have ever experienced. While many women experience leg cramps, HG or not, dehydration makes them 10 times more painful and harder to recover from (pretty sure I was limping to the toilet for a month). *Take note that sometimes, a pain in the calf can signal something worse*

4. Sore Throat

This should be an obvious one to anyone who has ever thrown up before… It’s not uncommon for women with hyperemesis gravidarum to vomit up to 50 times a day. This can result in a raw, sore throat that makes even speaking painful. Considering that most of what comes up is bile, the lining of the throat can be severely damaged and it’s not uncommon for women to have blood in their vomit both from tearing the throat and/or esophagus. An anesthetic throat spray is a great alternative to sucking on lozenges.

5. Acid Reflux

So we’ve established that everywhere from the mouth to the stomach resembles a war zone. This means,of course, that acid reflux will be the norm for the duration of the pregnancy. This, again, is something many women without HG experience, but this time – it’s not just a common case of heartburn. With torn tissues in the throat and esophagus – it can cause a constant burning sensation in the chest. If you can manage liquids, there are organic teas that can help with heartburn. If regular antacids aren’t working, then talk to your doctor about a prescription strength one.

6. Diarrhea

And if you weren’t spending enough of your time in the bathroom already, then this ought to fix that. You can expect this mess after receiving a round of IV fluids, taking a suppository anti-emetic or eating and drinking a little bit after a few days of not eating or drinking at all. It can be especially difficult to stay hydrated while you’re losing fluids out of both ends. Basically your entire gastrointestinal system gets messed up thanks to hyperemesis gravidarum. You may have to wait it out, or consider using an all-natural remedy.

7. Tooth Decay

All of that acidic vomit does a real number on your tooth enamel. And if you’re not getting the calcium and other nutrients you need for strong bones then you will notice it first in your teeth. We tend to forget how important chewing actual food is to keep our teeth healthy and when you’re suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum there is very little chewing, biting or eating going on at all. Let’s not forget about how even inserting a tooth brush into the mouth can induce vomiting. Instead, choose a mouthwash that has enamel protection AND is alcohol free and rinse out your mouth after you vomit.

How to help a woman with Hyperemesis Gravidarum — .

8. Hair Loss

We know about postpartum hair loss but did you know that you can also lose your hair if you’re extremely dehydrated and malnourished? So many vitamins and minerals are important for the growth of healthy hair and when you’re not getting those, your body has to steal them from somewhere else. So instead of boasting the luscious locks that many women claim to have during pregnancy – I was plucking handfuls of it off my pillowcase. Switch to a shampoo with castor oil to help strengthen your hair, and continue to use it postpartum.

How to Deal with Hair Loss Caused by Excessive Stress — .

9. Dry Skin

Dehydration can do some pretty crazy things to your skin. Not only does it get really dry and itchy, but it also loses a lot of it’s elasticity. I remember nurses doing “the pinch test” on the back of my hand each time I went into the hospital and each time it stayed up longer and longer. If you’re battling dehydration on the inside, try to seal in moisture on the outside. Make sure to choose an unscented moisturizer so as not to irritate your ultra-sensitive sense of smell.

Testing for Dehydration — Fix.com/blog/dehydration

10. Motion Sickness

If you’ve never experienced motion sickness before then prepare for the bumpy ride that is hyperemesis gravidarum. The delicate state of the stomach just can’t handle being tossed and turned. While anything and everything seemed to trigger nausea and vomiting anyway – moving around at all brought it on much faster. I would get motion sickness if I walked too fast or moved my head too quickly or even when I turned over in bed. Car rides were unbearable. Even feeling the baby kick, which should be a joyous sensation, triggered the nausea and vomiting. Sea bands became my best friend and I kept them on for the entire 9 months.

11. Depression

This was perhaps the worst of the side effects of hyperemesis gravidarum for me. The loneliness of the long days and nights I spent in bed – unable to even hold a conversation, left me feeling isolated and imprisoned. I couldn’t care for my other children and had to depend entirely on others for help which was very difficult for a control freak like me to do. I even needed help to shower.

The most depressing thought of all was that I had months and months of this ahead of me, unlike a bout of the stomach flu or food poisoning which tends to resolve itself in a matter of a few days. Nothing I tried gave me any relief – no combination of prescription medications, IV fluids or hospitalization solved the problem.

I seriously regretted getting pregnant and briefly contemplated terminating the pregnancy in order for it to end. Throughout my second pregnancy, I suffered from prenatal depression, which was made worse by the side effects of hyperemesis gravidarum.

13 Things About Postpartum Depression All New Moms Need to Know — .

Hyperemesis gravidarum and morning sickness are not the same.

A woman suffering from HG is unable to care for herself and will require help and attention during her pregnancy, she may even be admitted to the hospital for intravenous fluids or tube feeding. And while there are a lot of home remedies and even pharmaceuticals available for nausea and vomiting – the only real cure for HG is giving birth.

Tag: side effects of morning sickness

Reasons for Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy