The nutritional consequences of pregnancy sickness - A critique of a hypothesis

Authors
Citation
Il. Pike, The nutritional consequences of pregnancy sickness - A critique of a hypothesis, HUM NATURE, 11(3), 2000, pp. 207-232
Citations number
81
Categorie Soggetti
Sociology & Antropology
Journal title
HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE
ISSN journal
10456767 → ACNP
Volume
11
Issue
3
Year of publication
2000
Pages
207 - 232
Database
ISI
SICI code
1045-6767(2000)11:3<207:TNCOPS>2.0.ZU;2-J
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to assess Profet's (1992) and others' hypothes is that nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is adaptive. A number of stu dies have found an association between NVP and a decreased risk for early f etal loss (<20 weeks). It is assumed that the adaptive benefits of improved survivorship associated with NVP outweigh the minimal nutritional conseque nces. However, in populations that experience marginal levels of nutrition, NVP may have important nutritional consequences. To test these potential c onsequences, a study on NVP, nutritional status, and pregnancy outcome was conducted among Turkana pastoralists, who experience seasonal and chronic n utritional stress. Interviews and anthropometric assessments were conducted on 68 pregnant Turkana women of Kenya during a 1993-1994 field season. The results from the case study suggest that women who experience NVP do encou nter nutritional consequences in the later stages of pregnancy and are more likely to experience poor pregnancy outcomes. These results suggest that N VP may not be adaptive in all environmental settings, particularly among ma rginally nourished populations.