Nausea and vomiting is marked in the first trimester of pregnancy. The frequency and severity varies among women and in the same individual it can vary from one pregnancy to the other. Nausea and vomiting is more marked in women who are carrying their first pregnancy. The reason for this is not well known but they are theories that claim that with repeated pregnancies the body gets used to the level of the hormones and tolerate it better. The major explanation for nausea and vomiting is largely hormonal as the levels of these hormones surge in the first trimester of pregnancy; there is associated nausea and vomiting. What is difficult to explain is the reason for a reduction of these symptoms as pregnancy advances in most women. A possible explanation is that the body gets used to the hormone as the pregnancy advances. In some women, they encounter nausea, vomiting all through pregnancy.
Excessive nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can have deleterious effect on mother and baby. It may necessitate admission and replacement of fluid through the intravenous route.
Coping with nausea and vomiting can be done by eating small but frequent diets, instead of trying to gulp everything at one go! Crackers and juice can be useful if you do not feel like taking anything. Another way to cope with nausea and vomiting is to avoid food that are irritating to you odor wise as these will likely cause nausea. Avoid fatty food because they are notorious for causing nausea and vomiting. Ginger tea and drinks are useful for some women in reducing nausea and vomiting. Peppermint tea is also recommended. Avoid brushing your tongue too deep in the morning during your usual oral hygiene.
In some cases all of these measures may fail, it may then be necessary to give antiemetic drugs to stop excessive vomiting. Promethazine and metoclopromide are safe drugs used to suppress nausea and vomiting.
