Women Pregnancy

Morning sickness during pregnancy is actually a protective reflex, which shields the baby from poisons in the unhealthy foods eaten by the mother, according to according to a study by researchers at the University of Liverpool in the UK, and linked these figures to the typical diet in each country, suggest there is a link between nausea and diet.
For some women even the common smells, particularly fat and fried food, and the sight of food cooking is enough to bring on a wave of nausea. Cereals were least likely to cause nausea and vomiting, the study said. The findings appear in the Royal Society’s Biological Journal. However, research has suggested that morning sickness might have positive consequences - such as a reduced risk of miscarriage.

“While there may be no particular harm in eating, say, meat, now that we have refrigeration and best before dates, our bodies may be pre-programmed by evolution to avoid these particular foodstuffs in the first trimester,” said lead researcher Dr Craig Roberts. “It may be that the nausea women feel towards certain foodstuffs could be helpful, and that although it is inconvenient and miserable, their nausea could be nature’s way of avoiding problems in pregnancy for both mother and fetus.”
The finding fits with the idea that vomiting serves to rid the body of potentially dangerous compounds. Meat and dairy products, for example, are much more likely to harbour bacteria, so it may be that the female body has been adapted by natural selection to get rid of them during pregnancy. The mother’s body is also vulnerable because her immune system is suppressed during pregnancy.

Dr Maggie Blott, a consultant obstetrician at London’s King’s College Hospital, said while it was sensible for a woman to eat healthily in pregnancy, it was more important to avoid alcohol, smoking or drugs. It was also important to take folic acid supplements, and to avoid high levels of vitamin A.