Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and association with pregnancy outcome

The patterns of nausea and/or vomiting of pregnancy were investigated in a group of 414 predominantly white, upper middle-class women in Albany, New York; patterns were ascertained before their eighty-eighth day of gestation and followed up to the end of pregnancy. Of these, 89.4% reported at least some symptoms. This frequency is higher than reported previously, perhaps in part because extensive attempts were made in this study to ascertain symptoms. The incidence of vomiting was about 55%. Women with no symptoms of nausea and/or vomiting of pregnancy experienced a significantly greater proportion of nonviable pregnancy outcomes (fetal death). Increased intake of niacin during the first trimester was associated with decreased infant birth weight. This may be the result of quicker fetal maturation due to increased levels of protein intake.