Morning Sickness Risks

The Risk of Morning Sickness

The majority of pregnant women experience some degree of morning sickness at during their pregnancy. In some cases a woman will experience morning sickness symptoms of nausea and vomiting so severe that she may need to take prescription medication, or even be hospitalized, to treat the symptoms.

The greatest risk in morning sickness is dehydration and malnutrition. This is why moms are urged to drink water (or other beverages such as watered-down juices or herbal teas) as much as possible, and to eat. Remember - your baby needs YOU to eat and drink so that HE (or SHE or
THEY) can develop properly.

If at all possible, you want to self-treat your morning sickness without medication to avoid exposing your baby to medications and chemicals. Visit our article on Morning Sickness Cures and Remedies for some suggestions on how to do this.

Severe Morning Sickness

Sometimes, no matter what you do, you can't beat your morning sickness. No matter what cure, remedy, or prevention tactic you try, the result is the same: you heave back up anything you were able to get down over the past half hour.

Fortunately for most pregnant moms, severe morning sickness only lasts for a few hours. However, if the vomiting continues, morning sickness could become hyperemesis gravidarum - simply translated, it means that Mom is unable to keep down any foods or liquids over a period of time. About one in 250 pregnancies experience hyperemesis gravidarum. This serious condition needs to be treated as soon as possible for the safety of both mom and baby. The more serious sufferers of this condition may require hospitalization with intravenous fluids until Mom can start eating on her own again.

You should call your care provider if you experience any of the following symptoms during your pregnancy:

• If you have been vomiting for more than 24 hours
• If there is blood mixed in with the vomit
• If you are showing signs of dehydration, which can include any of the following:
  • Severe thirst
  • Dry lips and dry and coated tongue
  • Pinched skin that "snaps back" slowly
  • Flushed dry skin
  • Decreased tearing or salivation
  • Confusion or irritability
  • Decreased urination or urine that is a very dark in color.
  • If you have a fever of 102 degrees or higher
  • If you loose more than a few pounds
  • If you feel faint, lightheaded or dizzy
  • You are feeling increasingly tired

For more information on hyperemesis gravidarium we urge you to visit the Hyperemesis Education & Research Foundation website.

The information on this website is designed for educational purposes only. The information is NOT intended to be a substitute for medical care. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have.