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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
What is the best remedy for morning sickness?
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Are there any foods or medications that can help or is it simply best to rest? -
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Arlene Normand
Dietitian
Arlene is a registered practising dietitian, with a private practice in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, and has built a strong business over the last … View Profile
While morning sickness can make you feel like death, it is generally only in rare and serious enduring cases of morning sickness that medication is deemed necessary. As many of the medications usually used to control nausea are not suitable for pregnant women in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, it's extremely important that morning sickness sufferers never become tempted to self-medicate. If you feel your particular situation warrants medication to control your morning sickness symptoms, talk to your GP and get his advice about the use of medication.
Suitable morning sickness medications include:
Antihistamines - these are one group of medications that can be prescribed by doctors to combat the symptoms of severe morning sickness, although they often cause drowsiness.
Maxalon - also known as Reglan, this anti-nausea drug can be prescribed for severe cases of morning sickness. Maxalon can cause drowsiness, diarrhoea, dizziness, headaches and may increase the body's production of prolactin (the hormone that is involved in breast milk production).
Zofran - this anti-nausea drug must be prescribed by your doctor. Possible side effects include headaches, flushing, stomach cramps and constipation or diarrhoea.
Over the counter medicines that can help morning sickness symptoms include:
Emetrol - this mint-flavoured anti-nausea medication can be bought over the counter at the chemist. 5 - 10 mls in the morning and then every 3 to 4 hours as needed.
Vitamin B6 - 25 - 50mg three times daily.
Ginger - 250mg four times daily.
Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness
Here are five natural remedies that are used for morning sickness.
1) Diet
The following diet suggestions may help relieve morning sickness:- Eat frequent smaller meals, so that you are never too hungry or too full at one time
- Avoid fatty or fried foods
- Keep crackers, bread or toast, cereal, or other bland foods handy. Try eating a few crackers before getting out of bed in the morning.
- Identify any triggers and avoid them
- Make sure you are drinking enough fluids, especially if you have been vomiting. Try drinking in between meals rather than with meals, which some women find helpful.
One study looked at 88 pregnant women with hyperemesis, a severe form of morning sickness. Women received either an anti-nausea drug called metoclopramide or twice weekly acupuncture sessions for two weeks, plus acupressure. Both treatments were found to reduce nausea and vomiting intensity. Acupuncture was more effective than the drug in improving psychosocial functioning.
3) Acupressure Wrist Bands
Acupressure wrist bands, often marketed as “sea bands”, stimulate an acupuncture point called “pericardium 6” (p6), which is known in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve nausea. It is a wrist band with a plastic button that puts pressure on the p6 point inside of the wrist. They usually cost less than $10 for a pair and can be found online or in some health food stores. It usually begins to work immediately.
4) Ginger
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a common remedy for morning sickness. It has been used for centuries in cooking and medicinally. The Food and Drug Administration classifies ginger as “generally recognized as safe”.
It's quite common for medical doctors, midwives, naturopaths, and other health practitioners to recommend ginger for morning sickness. Four double-blind, randomized clinical trials support this recommendation. The dose used in the studies was a total of one gram of ginger per day, taken in divided doses, for four days to three weeks. This is equivalent to half a teaspoon of ginger taken four times a day. It can be steeped with hot water for five minutes to make a hot ginger tea.
Some sources say there is not enough information about the safety of ginger in pregnant woment to recommend it for morning sickness, saying that ginger inhibits an enzyme called thromboxane synthetase and may possibly influence sex steroid differentiation in the fetal brain. Studies have not confirmed this.
Another concern is that ginger interferes with blood clotting and may prolong bleeding time. A study that followed 187 women who had taken ginger during the first trimester found no statistically significant difference in the number of malformations, spontaneous abortions, and stillbirths.
5) Peppermint Essential Oil
The aroma of peppermint can help a queasy stomach. Fill a large bowl with hot water. Place two drops of peppermint essential oil in the bowl and place it on a table near your bed. Make sure it is in a safe area so there is no risk of it being knocked over. Or use an aromatherapy diffuser, which can be purchased at some health food stores.
TIP!
There is evidence that if you have suffered from severe morning sickness in previous pregnancies, there are benefits from taking anti-nausea medication before symptoms appear as a preventative measure. Early treatment of morning sickness can prevent your symptoms from worsening but before you take any medications for morning sickness, it is important to discuss your options thoroughly with your doctor.
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- Eat frequent smaller meals, so that you are never too hungry or too full at one time
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