Nausea after eating during pregnancy usually results from morning sickness, which affects between 50 and 90 percent of pregnant women, according to MayoClinic.com. Despite the name, morning sickness can happen at any time during the day and usually disappears by the beginning of the second trimester. While it is impossible to completely get rid of nausea during pregnancy, changes in eating habits can significantly reduce your symptoms.
Causes
Research about the causes of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is ongoing. Some of the causes currently associated with morning sickness include the increased level of hormones produced during pregnancy, a change in the balance of bacteria counts in the digestive system, and additional laxity of the stomach muscles.
Risk Factors
While morning sickness is a common pregnancy condition, some women are more prone to it than others. Factors that increase your risk of morning sickness include previous history of migraine headaches, motion sickness and use of birth control pills. If you have had morning sickness in former pregnancies, or are expecting twins, your chances of experiencing nausea and vomiting increase. According to BabyCenter, women expecting a girl are twice as likely to have morning sickness as those carrying a boy.
Treatment
Changing your eating habits during your pregnancy can help prevent the sense of nausea after eating. The American Pregnancy Association suggests eating smaller meals throughout the day, drinking before or after, but not during, meals, and refraining from foods and smells that trigger your nausea. Dr. Philip Owen, obstetrician and gynecologist consultant for NetDoctor also recommends avoiding alcohol, caffeine, fried foods and spicy foods. When you do feel nauseous, eat crackers, bread or potato chips, smell fresh lemon, or drink ginger tea to alleviate your upset stomach.
Warning Signs
Occasionally, severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, accompanied by dehydration or weight loss, indicates a more severe condition, hyperemesis gravidarum, which may require medical treatment, including intravenous fluid or other medication. If you vomit several times a day, see blood or dark spots in your vomit, experience abdominal pain and fever, or can’t hold down even fluids for longer than 24 hours, visit a physician as soon as possible, for diagnosis and medical advice.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Morning Sickness; 2009
- Netdoctor; Morning Sickness and Nausea During Pregnancy; Philip Owen, MD; 2005
- American Pregnancy Association; Morning Sickness; 2007
- OBGYN.net; Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy; D. Ashley Hill, MD
- Babycenter; Morning sickness: Causes, concerns, treatments; October 2009
