Many women experience nausea and vomiting during their first trimester and sometimes into their second trimester due to hormonal changes brought on by the pregnancy. In some instances, the “morning sickness” will be so severe that weight loss and severe dehydration occurs which is then called hyperemesis.
In a time when most women are counting the pounds that they have gained, women with hyperemesis will struggle to maintain their prepregnancy weight and usually loose as much as 5% of their prepregnancy weight during the first trimester. As a result of the weight loss, a condition called ketosis can develop which will prevent the proper absorption of nutrients and fats. This can also result in an electrolyte imbalance from the lack of salt absorption into the blood stream. Women with severe hyperemesis will feel extremely tired and begin to loose muscle mass.
Signs that you should alert your doctor to are the following:
Your doctor may run tests to determine the level of ketones in your urine and to check for an electrolyte imbalance.
The most important task to reverse the effects of hyperemesis is to keep fluids and nutrients down. Your doctor may do one or more of the following:
Hyperemesis is fairly rare and in only a few cases of those women who develop severe vomiting, does it endanger the life of the mother and the fetus. In cases where nutrient depletion is so great that it may threaten the fetus, a procedure called IV hyperalimentation may be performed. This procedure adds nutrients directly into the blood stream and allows the mother’s gastrointestinal tract to rest.
The most important way to protect the development of your baby is to always keep your doctor informed of your symptoms. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the symptoms listed above.
DO NOT take any antinausea medicines without consulting your healthcare provider. Certain antihistamines have been shown to cause birth defects in animals.
You may want to avoid taking your prenatal vitamin for a couple of days. Some women are very sensitive to the iron and the concentrated vitamins. Try also to take a 1/2 tablet at bedtime for a few days and then 1/2 tablet at lunch time.
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