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Morning sickness can up kids' IQ

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-08-05 09:39

Children whose mothers had morning sickness during pregnancy may go on to have sharper minds than their peers, a study suggests.

Researchers found that among 121 Canadian children between the ages of 3 and 7, those whose mothers had suffered morning sickness scored higher, on average, on certain tests of IQ, memory and language skills.

In addition, mothers' use of the drug diclectin - prescribed for morning sickness - did not diminish the effects. In fact, children whose mothers had used the medication showed the highest average scores on certain tests.

Together, the findings suggest that "nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is not harmful and in fact may enhance favorably children's long-term" mental development, lead researcher Dr Irena Nulman, of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, says.