CALIFORNIA: For the first time, researchers have found the probable biological explanation for why most pregnant women feel nausea and vomiting so-called morning sickness.
This was revealed by a recent research led by the University of California, in which they posited that pregnancy nausea is not an error, but a protective biological defense mechanism brought about by human evolution.
Researchers claim that such immune-mediated response provides crucial protection to both mother and the developing fetus from infection during the early vulnerable stages of pregnancy.
“The immune system of the mother has a hard task: it must defend against infection, but cannot attack the fetus — which, by definition, is foreign,” the scientists said.
To cope with this, the immune system controls itself during pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting keep this fine balance in check and keep pregnant women from reaching for foods or scents that harbor toxic germs — particularly in the first and second trimesters when the fetus is most susceptible.
The research had tested 58 pregnant women’s blood samples, and 64% of them had vomited or been nauseated due to food or smells. The research attributed such episodes to certain immune reactions within the body when a woman is pregnant.
Above all, what the researchers essentially wanted to stress was that nausea need not be viewed as an ill omen.
Queasiness does not always imply that something is amiss with mother or baby. Indeed, it’s frequently a sign that the pregnancy is going according to plan,” the authors of the study explained.
The study has been published in the journal Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health.
It is estimated that up to 80% of pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting during early pregnancy. In some cases, the symptoms can become severe enough to require hospitalization.
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This new understanding may help reduce the stigma around morning sickness and encourage better support for pregnant women experiencing these symptoms.
