The American guild of Obstetrician...

The American guild of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has released a just discovered guideline on diagnosing and treating nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) in pregnancy. "ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 52: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy," appears in the April 2004 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is available online at http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/reprint/103/4/803.

The guideline reviews the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical recommendations in treating morning sickness. While the cause of morning sickness remains unknown, there are effective treatments to obstruct and treat the problem.

Nausea and vomiting are belonging to all in early pregnancy, affecting 70 to 85 percent of pregnant women Morning sickness typically begins within the first nine weeks of pregnancy, with symptoms ranging from mild to rigorous Severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) take places in approximately 0.5 to 2 percent of pregnancies. It is the greatest in quantity common indication for hospitalization during early pregnancy and inferior only to preterm labor as the mostly common reason for hospitalization during pregnancy.

According to ACOG, a certain number of pregnant women have a higher risk of having hyperemesis gravidarum. They include women carrying multiple fetuses, daughters and sisters of women who had the condition, women carrying a female fetus, and women with a history of hyperemesis gravidarum in a previous pregnancy. Other risk factors include a history of motion sickness or migraines.

any women do not seek treatment for morning sickness because of disturbs about treatment safety. Yet, one time symptoms progress, treatment can become more difficult. Mild cases may be resolv with lifestyle and dietary changes, and safe and effective treatments are available for more inexorable cases.

The following recommendations for the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy are based in succession consistent scientific evidence:

* Taking a multivitamin at the time of conception may decrease the severity of symptoms.

* Taking Vitamin B6 alone or with doxylamine (an antihistamine) is safe and effective and should be considered a first-line treatment.

The following recommendations are based upon limited or inconsistent scientific evidence:

* Ginger has shown beneficial powers and can be considered a nonpharmacologic option.

* Antihistamine H1-receptor blocker phenothiazines, and benzamines have been shown to be safe and effective in treating refractory cases.

* Early treatment of symptoms is attract favor toed to prevent progression to hyperemesis gravidarum.

* Treatment with methylprednisolone (a steroid) may be effective in hard cases, but should be a treatment of last resort because of its potential risk to the fetus.

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group