| Maternal nausea and vomiting are fairly common in the first trimester of any pregnancy, but it usually improves by the second trimester. The likely etiology is hormonal changes, including an imbalance of progesterone and estrogen, and increased chorionic gonadotropins.
Hyperemesis gravidarum is a severe variant of morning sickness that affects 1% of pregnant women. Because of the severity of the vomiting, electrolyte abnormalities may occur, and treatment includes avoiding large meals, hydrating adequately, and pharmacotherapy with pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and doxylamine (an Anti-histamine with anti-nausea effects). In addition, other anti-emetics such as ondansetron (Zofran) are commonly used and considered safe in pregnancy. |