Morning sickness means baby will have high IQ

Feeling nauseous in pregnancy gives you brighter kids

If you're suffering from morning sickness here's some good news: feeling nauseous in early pregnancy could be a sign your baby is developing a high IQ, according to a new study.

Researchers found that women who reported feeling ill in the first few weeks after conceiving went on to have brighter children.

About 80% of expectant mothers experience morning sickness, which scientists believe, is triggered by the flood of hormones released to protect the placenta and foetus. Past studies have shown that nausea is a sign of a healthy pregnancy and is linked to a lower risk of heart problems in the baby and a lower level of miscarriage.

Researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto now believe it could also be linked to the developing baby's brain. They conducted the first study to look at the long-term effects of nausea on the brains of babies and 121 women. Thirty of the women had no symptoms of morning sickness, while the rest reported symptoms such as tiredness, vomiting and nausea.

The team carried out IQ and behaviour tests on the mothers' children when they were three and seven years old. The children whose mothers suffered from morning sickness were more likely to have high IQ scores than those whose mothers had no symptoms, the researchers report in the Journal of Paediatrics.

Dr Gideon Koren, who led the study, said: 'It's the hormones secreted by the placenta that cause you to feel yucky, but on the other hand, they probably confer better conditions for the baby,' he said. 'Women suffer for it, but at least it's for a good cause.'

According to the Department of Health, around half of all pregnant women experience both nausea and vomiting, and a further 28% will experience nausea without vomiting.

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