Most moms-to-be suffer morning sickness

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MAPLE GROVE, Minn., Feb. 29 (UPI) -- An estimated 70 percent to 85 percent of all pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting, but nurse practitioners said only half report morning sickness.

A survey 350 nurse practitioners indicated only 40 percent of their patients reported experiencing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy in the last 12 months.

"Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is a condition that affects many pregnant women and, contrary to popular belief, many pregnant women experience symptoms sporadically throughout the day. Even a less severe case of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can detract from the joy of pregnancy and may affect a woman's general well being," Elizabeth Kostas-Polston, board chairwoman of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, said in a statement.

"Women experiencing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy should discuss appropriate treatment strategies with their healthcare provider and not suffer in silence."

Seventy-six percent of nurse practitioners said nausea and vomiting in pregnancy posed a moderate-to-severe problem for their patients.

Some women do not seek treatment for morning sickness because of concerns about drug therapy during pregnancy or because they don't know treatments are available, the survey said.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends women experiencing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy get plenty of rest, avoid bothersome smells, eat five or six small meals a day instead of three large ones, avoid spicy and fatty foods, and eat crackers before getting out of bed. Ginger, acupuncture and acupressure, motion sickness bands or hypnosis might also help.

The online survey of member of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health was conducted from Nov. 8-15. No margin of error was provided.