Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Ask CNN: Why Do Pregnant Women Suffer Morning Sickness?

Aired July 25, 2001 - 07:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Amy Patterson from Fairfax, Virginia, asks: Why do women suffer morning sickness when they're pregnant?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the quick answer to that question is no one knows why pregnant women suffer from morning sickness, but there are a lot of theories.

One prevailing theory is that the rapidly increasing amounts of hormones during the first trimester trigger nausea. There are also theories that changes in blood pressure and in a pregnant woman's digestive system may be the culprit. And there's one controversial theory that says morning sickness is actually nature's way of protecting the fetus. The idea here is that even just the sight of foods that could cause harm to the fetus makes a woman feel so sick she doesn't eat them.

Since there are almost no studies on morning sickness, it's hard to say what the culprit is, but some scientists say chances are there's probably more than one cause.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com