Morning sickness

Alternative names:

nausea in the morning (females); vomiting in the morning (females)

Home care:

Try to keep a positive attitude. Morning sickness usually stops after the first 3 or 4 months of pregnancy. Other than preventive measures, only time or the birth of the child will ultimately cure morning sickness.

Well-ventilated rooms which prevent accumulation of cooking odors or cigarette smoke may help prevent morning sickness. Avoid cigarette smoking.

Avoid medications (which are usually not necessary for this disorder) without consulting the doctor first.

To help minimize nausea, try eating a few soda crackers or dry toast before arising from bed in the morning, and eating a small snack at bedtime and when getting up to go to the bathroom at night, eating a snack as often as every hour or 2 during the day.

Avoid large meals and try snacks that consist of high-protein food, such as peanut butter on apple slices or celery, nuts, cheese and crackers, milk, cottage cheese and yogurt. Avoid foods that are high in fat and salt but low in nutrition.

Call your health care provider if:

• morning sickness does not improve, despite trying home remedies.
• you are vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds.
• more than 2 pounds of total body weight is lost.
• there is prolonged, severe vomiting which can cause dehydration and malnutrition.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Medical history questions documenting your symptom in detail may include:

• quality
  • Are you only nauseated?
  • Do you vomit?
  • Does the nausea and vomiting occur every day?
  • Does it last throughout the day?
  • Can you keep down any food or fluid?

• aggravating factors
  • Have you been traveling?
  • Has your schedule been disrupted?
  • Are you emotionally stressed?
  • What foods have you been eating?
  • Do you smoke?

• relieving factors
  • What have you done to try to relieve the problem?
  • How effective was it?

• time pattern
  • When did this begin?
  • How long has it lasted?

• menstrual history
  • Are you known to be pregnant?
  • Are you possibly pregnant?
  • Are you a female of a menstruating age?
  • Are you sexually active?
  • Do you use birth control?
    • What type?
    • Have you missed any birth control pills or not used the birth control method?

• other
  • What other symptoms are also present?
  • Are there headaches?
  • Is there abdominal pain?
  • Is there breast tenderness?
  • How is the skin turgor?
  • Is there a dry mouth?
  • Is there excessive thirst?
  • Has there been an unintentional weight loss?

The physical examination may include a pelvic examination and evaluation for signs of dehydration and malnutrition.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• blood tests including CBC and blood chemistry (chem-20)
• pregnancy tests

After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a note related to morning sickness to your personal medical record.