The Duchess of Cambridge has suffered severe pregnancy sickness recently. Chris Jackson / Getty Images
The Duchess of Cambridge has suffered severe pregnancy sickness recently. Chris Jackson / Getty Images

The truth about morning sickness



The news that the Duchess of Cambridge had been admitted to hospital suffering from the acute form of pregnancy sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum, also referred to as morning sickness, will have had many women wincing in sympathy; anyone who has suffered from pregnancy sickness knows how unpleasant and distressing it can be.

According to Jess Male, a trustee of Pregnancy Sickness Support (www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk), hyperemesis gravidarum - in which severe vomiting can lead to dehydration, weight loss and nutrient deficiency - is relatively rare.

"Although 75 per cent to 80 per cent of pregnant women experience some sort of nausea," she says, "only around one per cent of those are at the higher end of the scale."

Little is known about what causes sickness in pregnancy. It is often attributed to raised levels of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), but studies have been inconclusive as to its true cause.

"There's no real definite idea on the medical front as to why some people get it and some people don't," says Janice Al Najjar, a midwife and the maternity nursing manager at Arab Euro Homes Nursing Services in Abu Dhabi.

"There have been a few studies done that suggest that it might be genetic in origin," she says. "There's some evidence to suggest that if you suffered before you got pregnant with motion sickness, migraine or stomach problems, you might be more prone to getting sickness in pregnancy. Some studies have been done on the flora in the gut and a high percentage of the ladies who suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum had this organism called helicobacter pylori… There are all sorts of evidence out there, and there are multiple studies, but none confirm the same link."

What most pregnant women can agree on is that pregnancy sickness is surrounded by myths, many of which can be unhelpful to sufferers. The most common is the idea that the sickness is confined to the morning.

"Morning sickness is a misnomer," says Al Najjar. "It can last all day. Many ladies have a bout in the morning and again in the evening; it's all-day sickness."

Neither, despite much febrile speculation in the press as to the sex of the royal couple's baby, is there any evidence that pregnancy sickness is an indicator of the baby's gender. "There's a myth that you'll be having a female baby [if you have pregnancy sickness] because oestrogen levels are higher when you have a female, but there's no real evidence to suggest that."

Equally unsupported by evidence is the notion that sickness is a sign that the pregnancy is "strong".

"That's an old wives' tale," says Al Najjar. "I can't think why it denotes a more healthy pregnancy. Some ladies think that if there aren't symptoms and signs that they're not properly pregnant, but hormonal levels are always high in pregnancy."

Most problematic of all is the idea that pregnant women are imagining their symptoms and can simply "pull themselves together" or force themselves to eat or drink.

"Can we please dispel the myth of ginger tea?" pleads Male. "It is helpful to some women, but if someone's suffering terribly, there's no point saying they should have ginger tea. Some at one end of the spectrum can function; others are ill and cannot function. It's not a choice."

Although the d uchess's condition kept her in hospital for three days, pregnant women suffering from pregnancy sickness should not panic. "You should go to your doctor if you are showing signs of dehydration - if you have a dry mouth, are dizzy or faint or aren't keeping fluids down," says Male.

Al Najjar agrees. "If you are pregnant and are throwing up in the morning only, and for the rest of the day you are eating and drinking fine and you are coping, then there's no need to worry."

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

CREW
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

Book%20Details
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Company%20profile
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THE BIO

Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13 

Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier

Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife 

What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents. 

Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV

Power: 360bhp

Torque: 500Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh282,870

On sale: now

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Cultural fiesta

What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421,  Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day. 

Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Match info

Newcastle United 1
Joselu (11')

Tottenham Hotspur 2
Vertonghen (8'), Alli (18')

Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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The%20specs
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No more lice

Defining head lice

Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.

Identifying lice

Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.

Treating lice at home

Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.

Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital

RESULT

Los Angeles Galaxy 2 Manchester United 5

Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)

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