Roy Pitkin, M.D., is a professor of obstetrics and
gynecology and is the former chair of the ob/gyn
department at the University of California, Los
Angeles School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor
to national health agencies on women's health issues and has
received numerous international honors for this work.
Q:I spent the first trimester of my pregnancy nauseated and throwing up. I couldn't even stomach prenatal vitamins some days. Does this mean my baby didn't get enough nutrition?
A: The fetus is so small during the first trimester that its nutritional and other growth needs can generally met by stores in the uterus and other parts of the mother's body. In fact, population studies indicate that women who have nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy tend to have better pregnancy outcomes than those who do not experience the symptoms.
Roy Pitkin, M.D., is a professor of obstetrics and
gynecology and is the former chair of the ob/gyn
department at the University of California, Los
Angeles School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor
to national health agencies on women's health issues and has
received numerous international honors for this work.
