Morning sickness is the nausea and vomiting (throwing up) that many women have during pregnancy. Symptoms can be mild or severe. Even though it is called "morning” sickness, symptoms can happen any time of day. In fact, most women who have the condition feel sick all day long. Morning sickness usually gets better after the first few months of pregnancy.

Not all pregnant women get morning sickness but it’s very common. As many as 9 out of 10 pregnant women feel nauseous early in pregnancy although a smaller number actually throw up.

The time morning sickness happens depends on the woman and the pregnancy. Symptoms usually start during the first 2 months of pregnancy. They are often worst around the second and third months. Most women feel better by 4 or 5 months or around the middle of pregnancy although some women feel bad for much longer.

Interestingly, having mild nausea and vomiting during pregnancy isn’t associated with any bad pregnancy outcomes like miscarriages or stillbirths.

The cause of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting is not clear. Several theories have been proposed, although none have been definitively proven. Increased hormone levels, slowed movement of the stomach contents, and psychological factors are among the more common theories.

Some women are more likely to develop nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, including women who; developed these symptoms in a previous pregnancy, experience nausea and vomiting while taking estrogen (for example, in birth control pills) or have menstrual migraines, experience motion sickness or have a history of gastrointestinal problems ( e.g. acid reflux, gastric ulcers)

Many women, especially those with mild to moderate nausea and/or vomiting, do not need to see a healthcare provider for treatment of nausea and vomiting.

One will need to seek medical care if; throwing up every day or throw up over and over during the day and more of a concern if there is blood in your vomit, losing weight, having pain or cramps in the belly or thinking that one has lost too many fluids. This is called dehydration. Some of the signs of dehydration include less urination frequency, having dark yellow urine, or feeling dizzy when you stand up.

If one can’t keep anything down without vomiting, they might need to be given fluids through a tube that is put into one of the veins, called an "IV.” Plus, one might need to get a medicine to prevent the nausea and vomiting.

For the mild forms of morning sickness, some life style changes can help reduce the chances or frequency of the symptoms. These include; eating as soon as one feels hungry or even before one feels hungry, snacking often and eating small meals. The best foods to eat have lots of protein or carbohydrates, but not a lot of fat. Good choices are bread, and low-fat yogurt. One should also avoid spicy foods and instead some drink cold, clear beverages that are either fizzy or sour. Good choices are lemonade and ginger ale. Try smelling fresh lemon, mint, or orange and brushing one’s teeth right after a meal, not lying down right after you eat and taking one’s vitamins at bedtime with a snack, not in the morning, and avoid things that might make one feel nauseous such as stuffy rooms, strong smells, hot places, loud noises, or not sleeping enough can be helpful.

Dr. Ian Shyaka is a General Practitioner at Rwanda Military Hospital

iangashugi@gmail.com