You just found out that you are pregnant. With all of the different thoughts that are running through your mind, whether or not you will start suffering morning sickness might be one of the thoughts featured on that list. Perhaps your mother or close girlfriend experienced morning sickness during their pregnancy so now you are wondering if it is possible to pass morning sickness down through a person’s DNA. Just because your mother had it, does that mean that you will too?
What is Morning Sickness?
As most women that have been pregnant before will tell you, “morning sickness” is an oxymoron in itself. This type of sickness might start in the morning – but it can easily transition to different parts throughout the day. Keep in mind that morning sickness is basically your body’s way of adjusting to the exponential increase of hormonal changes and other physical adjustments that your bodily organs, muscles and tissues have to make in order to hop on the pregnancy train. Just as you would set up a guest room in your home to accommodate the average visitor, your body will need to take the necessary steps to prepare a “guest room” for your unborn child.
Is Morning Sickness Hereditary?
The short and simple answer is that morning sickness is not hereditary. As many experts and case studies have been able to prove over the years, it actually has nothing to do with your DNA at all. Every woman is different and, therefore, will have different experiences throughout their respective gestational periods. Just because your mother experienced different symptoms of morning sickness during the early stages of her pregnancy does not mean you will have to experience the same symptoms during your own pregnancy.
Will I Experience Morning Sickness?
Morning sickness is not something that you can predict or guarantee. It will just occur and seemingly come out of nowhere. Even if you experienced morning sickness with your first child, for example, does not necessarily mean that you will experience morning sickness during your other pregnancies.
However, if you do experience any signs of morning sickness during your pregnancy, there are several steps that can be taken in order to treat these symptoms. Morning sickness usually consists of a wide variety of flu or common cold symptoms – such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever, etc. You can use over-the-counter medications to address these symptoms or possibly receive a prescription from your primary care physician depending on your specific needs.