Linda Burke-Galloway, M.D.--

In my quest to help “moms-to-be,” a recurring question emerges: “How do I get rid of morning sickness?” Although the Internet is rampant with well intended but “incorrect” replies, the correct answers have finally arrived.

So, you’re retching, gagging, vomiting and plain miserable. Sound familiar? Well, you’re not alone.

Approximately 50 to 90 percent of pregnant women have experienced these symptoms at least once during their pregnancy but believe it or not, it eventually stops. Listed below are some strategies for giving you some relief.

Step one:

•Avoid triggers such as spicy foods, fried food, and offensive odors
•Eat frequent light meals high in carbohydrates and low in fats. Also, try to avoid having a completely empty stomach. The stomach produces acid and when empty aggravates the problem.
•Eat dry toast or crackers before getting out of bed in the morning
•Try the BRATT Diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast and tea)
•Cold fluids are tolerated better than hot

No relief? Try Step Two:

•Medical studies show that ginger is quite effective. Ginger tea, candy and lollipops might alleviate the problem. Some of my patients have used ginger with good results.
•Vitamin B6: 25 mg three times a day has been helpful for nausea but not as effective for vomiting
•Take prenatal vitamins at night before going to bed

Still miserable? Proceed to Step Three.  Ask your OB practitioner for drugs (the legal ones of course).

Here are the ones most commonly prescribed:

•Phenergan® or Promethazine is usually the first line of defense. It may be given orally although most physicians prescribe the rectal suppositories if the patient cannot tolerate oral food or medication.
•Reglan® or Metoclopramide helps empty the stomach quickly and is taken every eight hours, but only as needed.
•Zofran ODT ® or Ondansetron is a rising star. It is usually given to patients receiving chemotherapy but in the past five years has become very popular in treatment of morning sickness. It provides the greatest relief for most of my patients but it’s not cheap. However, if you shop around, you can usually find bargains with the generic brand.

Remember that most symptoms usually subside by the middle of your second trimester so try to hang in there.

“This too shall pass.”

Linda Burke-Galloway, MD, MS, FACOG is a board-certified ob-gyn physician who is a champion of patient safety and is on a mission to keep pregnant women from falling through the cracks of our imperfect healthcare system.  For over twenty years she has provided clinical services to high-risk pregnant women in medically underserved communities. She served our country through the National Health Service Corp, is a medical malpractice consultant for the U.S. Human Health Services and the federal government has also sought her expertise in reducing obstetrical malpractice cases in high-risk communities.  Dr. Burke-Galloway has worked for the State of Florida Department of Health for over thirteen years in direct patient care.  She is the author of The Smart Mothers Guide to a Better Pregnancy and is the Pregnancy Expert for LifeScript.com. She is a graduate of City College of the City University of New York, Columbia University School of Social Work and Boston University School of Medicine.  She lives with her husband in Central Florida and is the proud mother of two sons. You'll find Dr. Galloway online at www.smartmothersguide.com 

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