Nausea is one of the most common complaint of pregnancy. It is one of the early signs of pregnancy and experienced by about 70 % of pregnant women. Nausea is usually common in the first trimester even though in some cases it may persist longer. You should however note that it is not harmful to you or your baby. It may even be an indication of healthy pregnancy. Nausea is a crucial part of what is referred to as morning sickness.
 

 

Causes of nausea during pregnancy ?

The exact cause of nausea during pregnancy is unknown . It has however been linked to the production of human chorionic gonadotropin HCG hormone. The body starts to produce this hormone once  the fertilized egg gets attached to the uterus. HCG is known as the pregnancy hormone.

Other theories say that nausea  is caused by :

• the hormones estrogen which rises during early pregnancy
• sensitive stomach
• stress and fatigue

When does nausea during pregnancy start ?

 
It usually starts within  4 to 8 weeks of pregnancy and subsides around pregnancy week 13 and 14. It may however start earlier or last longer. Some women may experience nausea during early pregnancy and for others , this condition may last the whole pregnancy.

Most people refer to nausea as morning sickness. This makes people to believe it occurs only during the early part of the day. As a matter of fact morning sickness  usually occurs throughout the whole day.

How to manage nausea during pregnancy ?

Here some of the home remedies for nausea during pregnancy

• eat smaller meals frequently throughout the day rather than 3 large meals
• avoid foods and smell that induce nausea
• avoid drinking lots of water and fluids with your meal. It is better to drink them in-between meals
•  keep crackers by your bed side and eat a couple before getting out of bed. Allow a little time for it to digest and  get up slowly from bed
• get enough rest
• eat plain dry foods such as dry toast or plain baked potatoes instead of creamier foods
• keep your room well ventilated
• drink ginger ale or lemonade to ease the queasy feeling. You can also sniff ginger or lemonade
• having too much iron  can cause queasiness. Talk to you doctor about the prenatal vitamin you are taking.
• talk to your healthcare about taking vitamin B-6 supplement. It is proven to reduce nausea and vomiting

 
Prescription care for nausea
 
When home remedies don’t help, your doctor may prescribe  medication for you . Talk to your doctor about your concerns.

NOTE
 
If you are experiencing severe nausea and vomiting, let your doctor know. This could be normal or a serious problem such as molar pregnancy or hyperemesis gravidarum.