Morning sickness goes by many names, including nausea gravidarum, vomiting of pregnancy, pregnancy sickness or simply nausea. It affects more than 50% of pregnant women and for many is the most bothersome pregnancy symptom of all. While the name implies the sickness occurs in the morning, morning sickness can actually occur at any time or all day long.
What is Morning Sickness?
So, what is morning sickness exactly? It’s basically a pregnancy-related form of nausea that seems to be related to changing estrogen levels as women who use hormone replacement therapy or hormone contraception often experience a similar nausea. It ranges in severity from a mild queasiness to severe enough to cause vomiting. In very severe cases morning sickness can develop into hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes weight loss, dehydration, alkalosis and hypokalemia. Possible causes of morning sickness include:
- Increasing estrogen levels
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Increasing levels of progesterone, which relaxes muscles in the uterus but may lead to increased stomach acid and gastroesophageal reflux disease
- An increase in hCG levels, which causes the ovaries to secrete more estrogen
- Increased sensitivity to smells
- Increase in bilirubin levels
What is Morning Sickness Exactly?
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