NAUSEA and vomiting are fairly common in pregnancy. These symptoms usually resolve before five months of pregnancy. It affects about nine in 10 pregnancies and is considered normal.
It usually starts at about the fourth to seventh week, but gets better by the 14th week. It usually does not affect the health of your baby.
However, if the nausea and vomiting is severe that it causes a change in your mood, work, home or social life than it is not normal. It is classified as hyperemesis gravidarum. It occurs in about three in 100 pregnant women.
The cause of these nausea and vomiting is the increased hormone levels during pregnancy. The main hormone causing these symptoms is GDF-15 that is produced by the baby’s placenta.
It also has some genetic influence. Your risk of it happening increases if you are pregnant with more than one baby or if you have had it in your previous pregnancy.
In severe cases, you are unable to keep any food or drinks down as everything comes out. You become dehydrated that you are unable to function normally.
Signs of dehydration include:
Feeling dry
Very thirsty
Becoming drowsy
Being unwell
Having weakness
Urine changing to dark yellow or brownish in colour
You also need to make sure your symptoms are not due to other diseases. This is especially important if you have other symptoms such as pain or increased frequency in urination, pain in your tummy, other medical problems or vomiting after 16 weeks of pregnancy.
