Pregnancy: Dealing with morning sickness
Introduction
For many women, the toughest part of early pregnancy is morning sickness. If you are suffering from nausea, vomiting, or both, you need safe measures that will bring you some relief. Your best course of action for managing morning sickness is home treatment. By following a few proven guidelines, you are likely to gain significant relief from nausea and vomiting. Home treatment measures for morning sickness include:
- Changing what, when, and how much you eat.
- Taking ginger, vitamin B6, or vitamin B12, which are known to reduce nausea and/or vomiting during pregnancy.
- Avoiding foods and smells that make you feel sick.
- Trying acupressure, which seems to work for some women.
- Taking doxylamine with vitamin B6, which you can buy without a prescription. Talk to your health professional before taking this remedy.
If you have severe, persistent nausea and vomiting, see your doctor or nurse-midwife immediately. This uncommon complication of pregnancy can lead to dehydration and malnutrition, sometimes requiring prescribed medication or hospitalization.
What is morning sickness?
Why use home treatment for morning sickness?
How can I manage morning sickness at home?
Where to go from here
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| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH | Last Updated: November 30, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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