Title

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: An ‘alternative’ approach to care.

Authors

Tiran, Denise

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is a complex biopsychosocial syndrome, which is multifactorial, both in terms of aetiology and manifestation. In some women, symptoms resolve after the first trimester, but for others prolonged and unremitting nausea has an adverse effect on their daily lives. A minority develop hyperemesis gravidarum, for which hospital admission is required, but it is those with moderately severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy who seem to suffer most, particularly as they are usually left to self-manage their condition. This paper explores a selection of commonly-used complementary therapies and natural remedies to which women resort to relieve their symptoms, including ginger, acupressure and acupuncture, stimulation of the vestibular apparatus and hypnosis.

Subjects

ACUPRESSURE; ACUPUNCTURE; ALTERNATIVE medicine; GINGER; HYPNOTISM; MIDWIVES; HEALTH self-care; OCCUPATIONAL roles

Publication

British Journal of Midwifery, 2014, Vol 22, Issue 8, p544

ISSN

0969-4900

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.12968/bjom.2014.22.8.544