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Pregnancy, nausea

How do doctors diagnose normal and severe nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy?

Feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up is a normal part of early pregnancy. If you have nausea and vomiting, your doctor will probably check to make sure you're not dehydrated and that everything is fine.

If your morning sickness is very bad, however, your doctor may want to make sure something else isn't making you throw up. Sometimes nausea and vomiting have nothing to do with your pregnancy. For example, you may have food poisoning, a stomach

ulcer
An ulcer is an open sore. Ulcers can happen in many parts of your body, such as in your stomach, and the skin of your legs, mouth or genitals.

ulcer or a

urinary tract infection
A urinary tract infection (UTI) happens when bacteria invade the walls of your urinary tract, which includes your kidneys, bladder and urethra. An uncomplicated UTI is one that involves your bladder and urethra, but not your kidneys. A complicated UTI involves your kidneys and can be harder to treat. Another name for kidney infection is pyelonephritis.

urinary tract infection. Your doctor will probably check for these problems and treat them if necessary.

If you have severe vomiting and can't keep anything down, your doctor will want to make sure you aren't in danger of dehydration. Your doctor may ask you the following questions:

How often are you throwing up?
Have you managed to keep any food down in the last 24 hours?
Can you drink without throwing up afterward?
Are you passing urine as often as usual?
Do you feel dizzy, weak or anxious?
Are you gaining weight?
Could something else, such as food poisoning, be causing your vomiting?

Tests for severe nausea and vomiting

Your doctor may also check for the following.

Symptoms of dehydration: When you don't have enough fluids in your body, your skin may look loose, you may have a dry mouth and you may feel dizzy or confused. You may not be passing urine as often as usual. If you're admitted to the hospital, doctors may take some blood to check if your body is getting enough fluid.
Ketones in your urine: The presence of these chemicals is a sign of dehydration.
An abnormal placenta: Your doctor may order an

ultrasound
Ultrasound is a tool doctors use to create images of the inside of your body. The ultrasound machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which are directed at an area of your body through a device such as a probe. The waves reflect off parts of your body to create a picture. Ultrasound is often used to see a developing baby inside a woman's womb.

ultrasound scan to check your placenta, which is the organ that carries food and oxygen to your baby. A rare condition called hydatidiform mole, or molar pregnancy, can cause severe vomiting. It occurs when the placenta develops abnormally. To learn more, see Molar pregnancy.
More than one baby: An ultrasound scan will also show whether you're carrying more than one baby, which may cause worse vomiting.

If you're dehydrated, you may be admitted to the hospital to correct the balance of fluids and chemicals in your body. To find out more, see What happens in the hospital?

This information was last updated on May 12, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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