Nausea is a common yet unpleasant condition during pregnancy that is often accompanied with vomiting. Nausea and vomiting, usually referred to as "morning sickness," can occur at any time and even last throughout the entire day.

Causes

A specific cause of nausea associated with pregnancy is unknown, but it is thought to be the result of the numerous changes a woman's body experiences during pregnancy. A rise in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone and estrogen, a heightened sense of smell and taste, and sensitive gastrointestinal tracts due to pregnancy are all thought to trigger nausea in pregnant women.

Facts

According to BabyCenter, nausea and vomiting affects three quarters of pregnant women during the first trimester, with about half suffering from both nausea and vomiting. One quarter of women suffer from nausea, with the remaining quarter lucky to be free from both symptoms.

Considerations

BabyCenter estimates that half of the women experiencing nausea are happy to find relief by the 14th week of pregnancy. A small percentage of women will experience nausea throughout their entire pregnancy.

Prevention/Solution

According to BabyCenter, about 1 percent of women develop hyperemesis gravidarum or "excessive vomiting in pregnancy." Your doctor may be able to treat persistent nausea and vomiting symptoms with a variety of medications considered safe to take during pregnancy.

Warning

Contact your doctor if you aren't able to keep fluids or solids down for 24 hours. You should also contact your doctor immediately if nausea is accompanied by dark and/ or foul-smelling urine, infrequent urination, a feeling of weakness or faintness, abdominal pain, fever or if you vomit blood.

Source:

BabyCenter: Morning sickness: Causes, concerns, treatments

BabyCenter: Are There Safe Medications for Morning Sickness?