Morning Sickness Linked to Baby IQ

Morning sickness could be a good thing, though some pregnant women may roll their eyes at that statement.

A small study of 121 children in Canada found that kids whose mothers suffered morning sickness scored higher (on average) on some tests of IQ, memory and language. The same held true even if the mothers took the morning-sickness drug diclectin.

The findings are reported in the July issue of Journal of Pediatrics. The lead researcher is Dr. Irena Nulman from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Researchers think it may be possible that the same hormones that cause morning sickness could also have a positive effect on fetal brain development. However, the researchers also caution that a small number of pregnant women have morning sickness that isn’t benign. It may develop into a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes persistent nausea and vomiting and may lead to malnutrition, dehydration or weight loss.

Does this study make you feel a little better about morning sickness?

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