Morning sickness may just be the most inappropriately named cluster of symptoms out there. Pregnant women may experience morning sickness at any time of the day or night--or even all of the time. It strikes about 75 percent of pregnant women and peaks around Week 8 or 9. It usually subsides by Week 14, says BabyCenter.
Nausea
One of the most common features of morning sickness is nausea. "Nausea seems to stem at least in part from rapidly rising levels of estrogen, which causes the stomach to empty more slowly," says the Mayo Clinic. One side effect of pregnancy is being able to smell more acutely. As a result, odors can trigger nausea. The Mayo Clinic mentions that foods cooking, perfume and cigarette smoke are all notorious triggers of morning sickness symptoms. Smells that are in the distance may even cause problems. "It's not uncommon for a newly pregnant woman to feel overwhelmed by the smell of a bologna sandwich from four cubicles away, for example," BabyCenter says. Dips in blood sugar may also play a role in nausea during pregnancy. Therefore, eating small, frequent meals can help to curb nausea, says "USA Today." It also suggests eating some crackers before getting out of bed each morning to put something in your stomach and bump up blood sugar. Eating more protein and complex carbohydrates may also help moderate nausea.
Vomiting
Given that the stomach is emptying more slowly and queasiness can strike at any time, vomiting can be a feature of morning sickness. Contrary to typical portrayal of morning sickness, however, only about one-third of pregnant women vomit, "The New York Times" says. Food aversions often occur along with vomiting. The Mayo Clinic reports that coffee and fried foods are two common aversions. Aversions may occur because of conditioning; we naturally avoid foods that have made us sick in the past. For instance, if you had barley soup right before a wave of vomiting hit you, you'd likely find the soup nauseating in the future. Even though the sickness was because of hormonal changes, not because of the food itself, the mind does not know the difference.
Women who vomit during pregnancy should continue to gain weight. Losing weight and/or vomiting more than three times in a day are signs to seek immediate medical attention, because they may indicate hyperemesis gravidarum. According to "USA Today," this condition of extreme nausea and vomiting occurs in fewer than one in 250 pregnancies. When hyperemesis gravidarum does occur, hospitalization and IV fluids may be needed to treat dehydration.
Feeling Light-headed and Dizzy
Light-headedness and dizzyness often occur as a result of morning sickness. Like nausea, these symptoms mainly result from fluctuations in blood sugar and hormonal changes. They can also occur because of blood pressure changes. "During the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, it's common for blood pressure to drop," the American Heart Association says. In the latter stages of pregnancy, these symptoms should resolve.
