We've spent a lot of time trying to figure out why pregnant women have morning sickness or in some cases all day sickness. There have been a lot of theories from it's a sign of a healthy pregnancy to it just is a pregnancy symptom. Some new research leans towards the theory that morning sickness is a protective mechanism to help women avoid certain things that can harm their baby as it's developing. The main window for most women to have morning sickness is between six and eighteen weeks - a time frame when the fetus is most susceptible to organ damage.
In addition to mere morning sickness, you also have other associated pregnancy symptoms. This can include:
- food aversions
- smell triggers
- avoidance of certain "bad for you" substances like alcohol and cigarettes
- other "helpers" for nutrition
Related:
- Morning Sickness
- Hyperemesis - Severe Morning Sickness
- Strange Pregnancy Symptoms
- Products to Ease Nausea
- Late Pregnancy Discomforts
- 25 Signs of Pregnancy
Source:
Morning Sickness: Adaptive Cause or Nonadaptive Consequence of Embryo Viability? Samuel M. Flaxman and Paul W. Sherman. The American Naturalist 2008 172:1, 54-62
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