I can't eat & have lost a lot of weight. Is my baby ok?

Frequently asked questions from mothers.

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I can't eat & have lost a lot of weight. Is my baby ok?

Postby admin » May 26, 2004 11:23 pm

In most cases, women who lose weight during their first trimester have normal babies. Adequate nutrition is important for the baby, but his or her requirements are very minimal during the first few months. Your body should have sufficient stores for the baby during this time. High-quality vitamins can be helpful for most women, but those with HG often cannot tolerate them, especially if they contain iron. Studies show that vitamins seem to be most critical during the few months prior to pregnancy and up to about 6 weeks gestation. This is when the risk of miscarriage is great and the spine is forming. Folic acid and antioxidant requirements are greatest at this point, according to these studies.

Since HG often does not make vitamins intolerable until around this time, just do your best to take them as long as you can. You can try sublingual (under the tongue) forms of vitamins (especially vitamin B and folic acid) that can be ordered online or found at some health food stores. If you are admitted for IV fluids, make sure a multivitamin is added to your fluids, especially if you have been vomiting frequently for more than 2 weeks. This is not routinely done, unfortunately.

The risk to the baby is greatest if the mother is dehydrated for extended periods of time, loses 10% or more of her pre-pregnancy weight and does not receive vitamins or other nutritional support, or fails to gain weight for two consecutive trimesters. Obviously, if the mother develops other complications, risk is increased. Most studies, however, show that women with hyperemesis have normal babies unless they are severely ill and receive little treatment.

Calculate Your Weight Loss: http://www.helpher.org/mothers/about-hy ... ulator.php

Learn Nutritional Strategies: http://www.helpher.org/mothers/nutritio ... /index.php

Learn About Vitamins: http://www.helpher.org/mothers/treatmen ... tamins.php
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