Morning Sickness During The Second Trimester
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It is not entirely unheard of for morning sickness to continue to plague a woman during the second trimester. However, while more than 70% of women experience morning sickness, for the vast majority of these women the nausea and vomiting associated with their morning sickness will pass before the second trimester begins, sometime during the latter portion of the first trimester.
Researchers are not completely sure what it is that causes morning sickness. Some theorize that morning sickness is caused by changing levels of hormones, particularly the hormone hCG, in the pregnant woman’s body. Because levels of hCG tend to level out during the first trimester, most women will not continue to experience morning sickness during the second trimester.
If you do have morning sickness during the second trimester, it is important to know whether it is actually morning sickness or whether it is something else entirely that is causing your nausea and/or vomiting. It could certainly be that it is not morning sickness at all that you are feeling during the second trimester, but rather a stomach virus. It could be that you feel ill because of the enhanced sense of smell that often accompanies pregnancy. In some cases, morning sickness during the second trimester can be a sign of a more serious problem, such as hyperemesis gravidarum. This condition that affects pregnant women is marked by severe vomiting and nausea.
Treating morning sickness during the second trimester is similar to treating morning sickness during the first trimester. You should avoid strong smells. You should make sure that you are staying hydrated. You should try to eat several small meals, as opposed to three larger ones, to keep from becoming too full or too hungry. You can try any number of other remedies, such as ginger extract nutritional supplements or even tea made from ginger leaves to relieve your morning sickness during the second trimester, as well.
If your second trimester morning sickness is particularly severe, or if it lasts more than 24 hours, you should contact your health care provider.
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