Morning sickness is a term used to describe a variety of symptoms commonly experienced during early pregnancy, usually beginning between weeks five and seven and ending by the 16th week. Although many women experience morning sickness upon waking, it is possible to have the sickness at any time of day. BabyCenter.com points out that the technical term for this pregnancy condition is "nausea and vomiting during pregnancy." There are a number of ways to help cope with morning sickness, such as eating crackers or foods/drinks made with ginger. Symptoms are generally the same for each woman, but the intensity and duration can vary.
Nausea
The feeling of impending vomit is called nausea. This sensation can include excessive salivating and/or an uneasy feeling in the stomach. A woman may never vomit but feel as if she may at any given moment. After several hours or days of feeling nauseated, a woman may find herself wanting to vomit just to find some relief. Nausea can be exacerbated by certain fragrances or foods. It is not unusual for a woman's favorite food to set off her morning sickness. Just the thought or sight of certain textures can be nauseating during this time. There is no scientific explanation for morning sickness, but it is speculated that it is the result of hormone changes in the woman's body because of the pregnancy.
Vomiting
Vomiting is never fun, but some women find this to be a pleasant end to hours of nausea. Depending on the woman, the vomiting may be sudden, or she may feel it coming. Serious vomiting that prevents a woman from keeping down ample food and nourishing her baby requires medical treatment. Anti-nausea medications, such as those used for chemotherapy patients, may be prescribed. If you find yourself losing weight or being unable to carry out daily tasks because of severe morning sickness, seek medical attention. This can be a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which requires intervention to maintain your health and the health of the baby.
Other Symptoms
Food aversions, even those that do not cause nausea or vomiting, are common during the morning sickness period. Women may gag or wretch at the sight, smell or taste of some foods. Her aversion may have no known cause, but it may exist for the remainder of the pregnancy. She may also crave certain foods, even those that she detested before pregnancy. Some women may experience headaches, dizziness, constipation and moodiness while morning sickness is taking place. These symptoms are not necessary part of the morning sickness, but they can be elevated because of the nausea and vomiting. Fatigue is a common symptom of pregnancy and can be magnified by morning sickness. Nausea, vomiting and the lack of sleep because of these morning sickness symptoms contribute to the fatigue.
