Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy

Abstract

This study was conducted for the purpose of identifying and describing effective and ineffective interventions used to reduce or alleviate the discomfort of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP). Environmental factors which aggravate or reduce the discomfort of NVP were also identified. The study was conducted during a four-month period in 1990. Study participants included 92 pregnant women in the first twenty weeks of pregnancy who had experienced NVP at least once during the pregnancy. Participants were accessed through seven clinics providing prenatal care to women in all trimesters of pregnancy. In addition to demographic questions, data were obtained by utilization of the Fatigue and Nausea Questionnaire, Part II. Demographics and the Nausea and Fatigue Part Il questions were descriptively analyzed for the entire sample. Chi-Square statistical analyses were calculated to identify a potential relationship between the environmental factors of husband, family, friend, employer, and co-worker support and the degree of NVP experienced by the study respondents.Findings from the study revealed that lying down, getting more rest, and eating small frequent meals were the most commonly utilized effective relief measures. Precipitating factors occurring with the most frequency included odors, hunger, and fatigue. No statistically significant relationships were identified between family and friend support, stress, and social habits and the degree of nausea and vomiting experienced by the respondents during pregnancy.