Could Morning Sickness Actually Be a Good Thing?

Could Morning Sickness Actually Be a Good Thing?

Even though it feels like the worst thing in the world

"Morning sickness is the best part of being pregnant!" said no one, ever. But it turns out this unpleasant symptom may have a bright side, according to new research published in the journal Reproductive Toxology.

The paper examined all studies that have been conducted regarding morning sickness and its effect on other various aspects of pregnancy. The first major finding was that women who experienced nausea and vomiting while pregnant had a 55-80 percent lower chance of miscarriage than women who didn’t. Plus, women who dealt with this queasiness also gave birth to healthier babies.

"These children were at less risk for congenital malformations that can range from cleft palate to cardiovascular abnormalities," says Gideon Koren, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., lead study author and Director of the Motherisk Program in Toronto.

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The research also found a link between morning sickness and a lower rate of preterm birth, which is something that could lead to further complications down the line, says Koren.  

And interestingly, they found that kids whose mothers had severe nausea actually performed better in intelligence testing when they were older. These children scored especially high in numerical memory, verbal performance, and verbal fluency. Even when they factored in the mothers' IQ scores, the association was still significant.

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All of that said, this doesn't mean you should be worried if you’re pregnant and not constantly lunging for the bathroom. "Some women get morning sickness and some don't, but it doesn’t mean something will definitely go wrong if you don't experience it," says Koren.

So, why do some women have this annoying symptom while others don't? Turns out both the occurrence of morning sickness and the associated positive benefits may all be linked to hormones. "We don't have accurate details, but studies show the time women have morning sickness corresponds with an upsurge in levels of the hormone Beta hCG, which is what we measure to see if a woman is pregnant," says Koren. "Studies also show there are higher levels of progesterone and estrogen when you have severe morning sickness."

The bottom line: As awful as morning sickness may feel, it could be a sign of a super-healthy pregnancy—so just remember that when you're spending tons of quality time with your toilet. And don't fret if you don't have morning sickness. Some women get it and some don't, but if you're worried, you can always check in with your ob-gyn.

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