Morning sickness is one of those unpredictable aspects of pregnancy that doesn't turn out quite how you expected. You get it severely, or not at all. It may happen in the morning, or (if you're unlucky) throughout the day. It may stop after the first trimester, or it may continue.
So is there a way for pregnant women to predict what their experience of morning sickness will be?
Well, you could start by asking your mum.
In a new study, scientists have found a link between the severity of your morning sickness and that of your own mother.
BBC News reports that a study by Norwegian researchers indicates that pregnant women are three times more likely to suffer from severe morning sickness if their mothers did too. So if your mum suffered the early morning heaves then chances are you will too.
Hyperemesis gravidarum, or excessive nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, affects about 2% of all pregnant women, and in severe cases can sometimes even require a stay in hospital. Hyperemesis is very different from typical morning sickness, which for most women disappears after the first trimester. Instead, pregnant women who suffer from it have excessive nausea that begins before the 22nd week of pregnancy and, in its most serious form, can lead to dangerous health conditions including dehydration and weight loss.
It's the most common reason that pregnant women are admitted to the hospital early. Hyperemesis also takes the blame for some babies having low birth weights, and even premature birth. Researchers say that previous studies asserted that the condition was caused by psychological issues, but this has now been discovered to be untrue.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, also revealed that mothers and daughters may share lifestyle risk factors that contribute to the condition.
Source [ParentDish US]
Did you suffer from morning sickness? How did you cope with it? Leave a comment below and share your story