Nausea
Nausea during pregnancy is thought to occur in up to half of all pregnancies, usually in the first trimester. Although traditionally called ‘morning sickness’, it can occur at any time of the day or night. Women’s experience of nausea during this period is highly individual, both in duration and degree. For some it is mild and of shot duration, while for others it is intense, recurring (even up to the last few weeks), and may require hospitalisation due to excessive vomiting. Why it occurs is not clear, but various theories have been put forward which include hormone levels, fatigue, emotional factors, and stress.
From the perspective of Chinese medicine, pregnancy sets in motion huge energetic changes in the body as the yang energy of a man, and the yin energy of a woman, combine to forge a new life. The acupuncture channel (an energetic pathway that an acupuncturists seek to bring into balance) most affected by this vortex of energy is called the Chong Mai. The Chong Mai is said to regulate the cycles of women that govern birth, adolescence, fertility, menstruation, ageing and death. It is one of a number of deep energetic pathways in the body that act as reservoirs of energy when the more superficial energetic channels are exhausted. It is no surprise therefore that it is involved in pregnancy.