Is It Safe To Take Ginger During Pregnancy

Ginger and pregnancy go hand-in-hand according to many folk concepts of medicine. Indeed it is true that ginger helps pregnant women. The relationship between ginger and pregnancy is that of an excellent natural cure for a major problem for pregnant women, morning sickness. Unless you suffer from gallstones or a history of ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, or blocked intestines, ginger is a pretty safe medication for morning sickness, besides many other minor conditions. 

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Morning sickness is nausea or vomiting experienced by pregnant women. It usually happens during the first trimester of pregnancy and then reduces. Usually, it starts in the morning and reduces as the day progresses. The vomiting could in about 1% of the cases become severe enough to cause dehydration, weight loss, and other complications. Nausea and vomiting can be the first signs of pregnancy.

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Since about 70% of pregnant women experience morning sickness, it is advisable to have ginger and pregnancy together. It is important to appreciate the fact that morning sickness is not a sickness, but a natural method the body uses to protect the unborn child from poisonous substances. Adult humans have a complex system of protection against toxins, but these systems are not fully developed in the unborn child. Even small amounts of toxins can be harmful or lethal for the growing baby. 

Ginger and pregnancy go well together because ginger has no medical complications associated with its intake. Ginger is prescribed for treating morning sickness in pregnant women. Its effectiveness is proved in clinical trials. Also, the age-old tradition of special preparations containing ginger meant for pregnant women probably says that ginger and pregnancy go together.

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There are many premises for putting ginger and pregnancy together. Its properties such as killing bacteria and removing odor from foods connect ginger and pregnancy. 

During pregnancy, the expecting mother has an increased sensitivity to odors. This causes nausea. There is a correlation between the tastes and odors found repulsive by pregnant women and the toxin concentrations in the foods associated with these tastes and odors. The property of ginger to suppress the tastes of foods can be used here, hence connecting ginger and pregnancy.

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A minimal amount of drugs, and preferably none at all are to be consumed by expecting mothers, since they could harm the unborn child in many ways, including temporary and permanent changes in the growing baby with proven risks. Here ginger’s ability to not harm while reducing the intensity of morning sickness-induced nausea proves a natural connection between ginger and pregnancy. 

There are many properties of ginger that associate ginger and pregnancy. During pregnancy, women have lower immunity. The natural immunity is suppressed to accommodate the growing baby since it is genetically different from the mother and hence susceptible to attacks by her immune system. Thus the expecting mother is more prone to diseases. Coupled with the need to not take medication for the health of the unborn child, this makes the situation quite fragile. Ginger has antibacterial properties which can be used very well for fighting germs in food, hence justifying a connection between ginger and pregnancy. If used in well-cooked meat dishes, it kills parasites, especially the harmful bacteria salmonella. These antibacterial properties of ginger have been proved scientifically, hence proving a point for ginger and pregnancy synergy, since it is also known that pregnant women have a bigger chance of catching salmonella infections from eggs and poultry.

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Ginger has many other medicinal properties besides those particularly helpful for pregnant women. It is effective against colds, often used in preparing tea and sometimes hot coffee, especially in winter. It is quite effective as a laxative also. This is a useful property since pregnant women experience constipation, which is not abnormal. Ginger is an excellent cure for coughs. A Chinese dish made from scrambled eggs and finely diced ginger root has been found to be better for fighting cough than many cough syrups available in the market. Inflammations are also remedied by ginger, and this has been a historical thing, as well as supported by modern scientific research.

Thus the qualities of ginger as a natural cure for morning sickness, as an antibacterial, and for various common ailments make it perfect.