Is severe morning sickness during pregnancy harmful for the baby?

If you vomit for three to four times a day you should read this to know whether your baby is at any kind of risk.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: September 29, 2016 12:26 pm

Morning sickness during pregnancy is common. The symptoms of the same could be nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, etc. For women who suffer from morning sickness, these symptoms are coupled together. Most often women face these symptoms during the morning, hence the name. But for some women, the symptoms could be persistent throughout the day. In general, the symptoms disappear after the first trimester or after the fifth month of pregnancy. However, for some women, it could be a bane throughout pregnancy.

While morning sickness is considered to be a part of a healthy pregnancy, there are times when one might also need medical help to treat the condition. ‘If it is persistent nausea, it might not need any attention but if the vomiting is too severe that the mother cannot digest any food, is too weak, suffers from dizziness and fatigue then it could be hyperemesis gravidarum, severe morning sickness. This condition doesn’t cause any harm to the baby if treated on time, but definitely, makes the mother weak and can lead to loss of electrolytes and salts,’ says Dr Meghana Sarvaiya, Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, Cloudnine Hospital, Mumbai. If neglected for too long it leads to less nutrient supply to the fetus which could be fatal.

How is hyperemesis gravidarum treated?

A condition like hyperemesis gravidarum should not be neglected for too long. To treat this condition effectively at times a brief hospitalisation might also be needed. ‘A hospital stay for 24 to 48 hours where the electrolyte imbalances are corrected through drips helps to reinstate the mother’s condition. If neglected for too long it could make the mother fragile and fatigued. The condition will not affect the baby in general even when the mother undergoes medical treatment,’ assures Dr Sarvaiya.

Who are likely to suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum?

The causes of hyperemesis gravidarum are not known to experts and doctors. However, hormonal changes trigger this kind of severe morning sickness. The hCG hormone that secretes during pregnancy could trigger this. But not all women suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum. Some risk factors that increases the chances of suffering from this condition are

Multiple pregnancies
History of motion sickness
Migraines with severe nausea and vomiting

When to go to the doctor?

If you are vomiting more than four or five times a day and cannot stomach even a single meal.
If nausea makes you unable to eat or drink anything
If you experience extreme fatigue and weight loss
If you notice blood stains while you throw up

How to deal with it?

If you had to go to a hospital to treat the condition, your doctor might have given you a list of dos and don’ts to follow. However, after the treatment, you can do these simple things to get some relief, like

Eating small frequent meals
Drinking lots of water and other liquids when not nauseated
Avoid known triggers (like certain smells and foods that can aggravate the condition)
Avoid spicy and fatty foods or foods that you find hard to digest

Read this in Hindi.

Image source: Shuterstock

Published: July 20, 2016 5:10 pm | Updated:September 29, 2016 12:26 pm

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