Homeopathy for Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is the most common complication of pregnancy. This occurs due to higher levels of hormones required to maintain pregnancy. Estrogen and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) are the two hormones most responsible. These lead to a variety of symptoms that affect the digestive tract. Due to nausea and vomiting, complications can occur that can be life-threatening to the mother and the fetus if severe and not treated.

Nausea and vomiting can usually be helped by changing the diet or patterns of eating. Eating a bland diet of bouillon or consomme, crackers, and rice may help. Eating before becoming very hungry can also alleviate some degree of the symptoms by keeping small amounts of food in the stomach to palliate the heartburn and nausea.

If nausea and vomiting are so intense that dehydration, weight loss, or other problems develop, the mother may need to be hospitalized and intravenous fluids administered. Heartburn and belching are common because during pregnancy the stomach produces less acid. As a result, ulcers rarely develop during pregnancy and are often healed.

Pica or strange cravings may occur during pregnancy. Craving for nonfoods or undigestable things (clay, starches, charcoal) or foods that are not normally eaten can sometimes lead the homeopath to good remedies. Below is a list of common rubrics and remedies that may be helpful in prescribing for morning sickness. As always, anything that is strange, rare, or peculiar may be helpful and should then always be taken as a case. Those symptoms which are strong and undeniable are the ones that will be most helpful.

From the Complete 2009 Repertory:

• Stomach; NAUSEA; Pregnancy, in (124) : acet-ac., 4ACON., ail., alet., aloe, 3Alum., alumn., anac., 3Ant-c., 3Ant-t., apis, apom., arge-p., 3Ars., 4ASAR., bar-c., 3Bell., bism., bov., 3Bry., cadm-s., 3Carb-ac., 3Carb-an., carb-v., carc., cast., caul., cer-ox., 3Chel., chion., chlf., cimic., cocc., cod-n., 3Colch., 3Coll., 4CON., conv., corp-l., cuc-p., 3Cupr-ar., 3Cycl., dig., excr-can., fago., ferr., ferr-ar., ferr-p., geoc-c., 3Goss., 3Graph., 3Hell., hep., hydrog., 3Ign., 4IP., 3Iris, 2jab., 3Jatr., kali-ar., kali-bi., 3Kali-br., 3Kali-c., kali-m., kali-p., kali-sal., 4KREOS., 4LAC-AC., 3Lac-c., 3Lac-d., lac-v., lac-v-c., 3Lach., laur., 3Lil-t., lob., 3Lyc., 3Mag-c., 3Mag-m., 4MED., merc., 3Merc-i-f., mosch., 3Nat-m., 3Nat-p., 4NUX-M., 4NUX-V., onos., 3Op., 3Ox-ac., parathyr., 3Petr., ph-ac., 3Phos., piloc., plac., plat., plb., 3Podo., 3Psor., 3Puls., 3Sabin., 2sals-t., 3Sang., sanic., 3Senec., 4SEP., 3Sil., spig., staph., stry., 3Sul-ac., 3Sulph., 3Sym-r., symph., 4TAB., tarent., ther., 3Thyr., verat., 3Verat-v., vib-p., xan., zing.

• Stomach; NAUSEA; Odors, from (26) : arist-cl., bamb-a., bos-s., cadm., cadm-s., chin., cinis-p., 4COLCH., cyg-c., 3Dig., eup-per., falco-p., geoc-c., harp., hippo-k., kola., lac-h., lith-c., meny., ozone, 3Ph-ac., psil., 3Sep., sol, 4SULPH., vario.

• Stomach; VOMITING; Pregnancy, in (118) : acet-ac., acon., aeth., ail., alet., alst-c., am-br., am-i., 3Amyg-p., anac., 3Ant-c., ant-t., 3Apis, 3Apom., arn., 3Ars., 4ASAR., 3Bell., bism., 3Bry., 3Cadm-s., 3Calc., calc-p., 3Canth., 3Caps., 4CARB-AC., card-m., cast., 3Cer-ox., 4CHEL., chlorpr., 3Cic., cinnam., cocain., 3Cocc., cod-n., 3Colch., 3Con., cuc-p., cupr-ar., 3Cycl., 2cytin., dig., dios., euph-c., 3Ferr., ferr-ar., 3Ferr-p., 2fuc., gins., 4GOSS., graph., helon., ign., ingluv., 4IP., 3Iris, 2jab., 4JATR., 3Kali-bi., 3Kali-br., 3Kali-c., kali-fcy., kali-m., kali-p., kali-sal., 4KREOS., 4LAC-AC., lac-c., 3Lac-d., lacer., 3Lach., lap-be-e., 3Lil-t., 3Lob., 3Lyc., 3Mag-c., 3Mag-m., 4MED., merc-i-f., nat-bic., nat-hchls., 3Nat-m., nat-p., 4NAT-S., 4NUX-M., 4NUX-V., 3Op., 3Ox-ac., 3Petr., 3Ph-ac., 3Phos., piloc., plat., plb., 3Podo., 3Psor., 3Puls., puls-n., 4SEP., 3Sil., staph., stront-br., stry., 3Sul-ac., 4SULPH., 3Sym-r., symph., 4TAB., tarent., ther., 3Thyr., tub., 3Verat., 3Verat-v., zinc., zinc-p., zing.

• Stomach; HEARTBURN; Pregnancy, in (23) : acet-ac., anac., apis, calc., canth., 3Caps., caust., con., dios., lac-ac., lyc., 3Mag-c., 3Merc., nat-m., 3Nux-v., ox-ac., phos., 3Puls., rob., sep., tab., verat., zinc.

• Generalities; FOOD and drinks; Strange things, desires; pregnancy, in (7) : 3Alum., calc., carb-v., 3Chel., 4LYSS., 3Mag-c., 3Sep.

Here are a few of the most common remedies and their indications:

• Petroleum - This remedy is applicable to most gastric problems of pregnant women. Incessant nausea and uneasy stomach in the morning. Much accumulation of saliva in the mouth, Aversion to fat foods or meat. Diarrhea during the daytime only.

• Sepia - All gone feeling, empty feeling in the stomach, not relieved by eating. Constipation. The thought of food sickens her. Nausea from the smell of food. Nausea in the morning ameliorated by eating.

• Nux Vomica - Nausea especially when a general feeling of sickness is in the stomach. Nausea after eating, especially in the morning. Feels that if she could only vomit she would feel better.

• Gossypium - Morning nausea and salivation. An inclination to vomit before breakfast. Faintness, cannot rise from the bed. Morning sickness during the early months.

• Tabacum - A deathly sinking from nausea. Motion sickness. Coldness and sweat. Nausea, retching, and vomiting during pregnancy with much spitting of saliva.

• Kreosotum - Vomiting of sweetish water before breakfast. Belching hot and frothy. Nausea and vomiting of food eaten several hours earlier.

• Ipecacuanha - More nausea than vomiting. Nausea not better by vomiting. Retching after drinking anything cold.

• Kali Bichromicum - Feels as if digestion has stopped. Food remains in the stomach for a long time. Nausea better by eating and open air. Vomiting of bright yellow water.

This is only a partial list of remedies that may be helpful. Because taking drugs during pregnancy is risky due to the potentially bad effects on the fetus, homeopathy offers help where allopathic medicine may harm. Study the rubrics and the remedies that may be helpful. Above all, be a good homeopath and take the case. Be a good observer and find out the modalities of the case. Remember, the remedy is for the mother and child and not the morning sickness. Always treat the person and not the disease.

Keep the conversation going! I would love to hear your questions and thoughts below!