Morning sickness is a common pregnancy side effect that can impact a woman's nutritional intake. Morning sickness can keep a woman from eating certain foods, or enough of certain vital nutrients, during her pregnancy. While most women can benefit from taking a prenatal vitamin, some women may need to take care to ensure that their vitamin stays down.
What is Morning Sickness?
The phrase "morning sickness" is a little misleading, considering bouts of nausea can hit a pregnant woman at almost any time of day. It is especially common during the first trimester. According to MedlinePlus, a majority of pregnant women experience some form of morning sickness, ranging from mild to severe. For around a third of pregnant women, morning sickness includes vomiting. Though it is fairly common, it can be bothersome and even problematic for some women.
Morning Sickness and Nutrition
Morning sickness can prevent a woman from getting the appropriate nutrition she needs during her baby's vital early developmental stages. For example, folic acid is important in the earliest weeks of pregnancy for the baby's healthy brain and spinal cord development. Iron is also important for preventing anemia during pregnancy, as blood volume increases. Women who have severe pregnancy-related nausea may have difficulty keeping enough food down to take in enough of these nutrients at the time they need them. Because of this, prenatal vitamins are a must.
Function of Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are formulated to contain the extra vitamins and minerals pregnant women need. They are more than just a multivitamin: they are a specialty vitamin. While a vitamin alone does not supply adequate nutrition for an unborn baby, it can help a mother who is not getting enough nutrition from her diet give her baby what he needs to grow and develop. In addition to folic acid and iron, prenatal vitamins contain higher levels of vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin C. They also contain copper and zinc.
When Prenatals Trigger Nausea
Unfortunately, prenatal vitamins can be a morning sickness trigger for some women. To counteract this, MedlinePlus suggests pregnant women take their vitamins in the evening instead of earlier in the day. Other common methods for preventing morning sickness may also help women keep their vitamins down, such as taking their supplement with a few crackers or drinking ginger ale. If nausea from prenatal vitamins continues to be a problem, the Cleveland Clinic suggests changing pills. Prenatals are available in capsules, chewable and even gummy forms.
Warning Signs for Morning Sickness
For most women, morning sickness subsides around the beginning of the second trimester; however, for some it continues to cause problems for much longer. There are certain signs that indicate morning sickness is severe enough to require medical attention. MedlinePlus reports that vomiting blood, losing weight and the inability to keep even tummy-friendly food down warrants a trip to the doctor.
