| Since the time when cave men wandered the Earth | | | | sound strikingly familiar and so modern. Even during |
| and the time when man first set foot on the Moon, | | | | those ancient times, the remedies used for providing |
| technology has been improving our lives and changing | | | | symptomatic relief were not so different from those |
| the way that we live and resolve problems, but human | | | | remedies practiced today: eating foods in small |
| beings have changed very little. Over the last few | | | | portions throughout the day, eating only easily digested |
| centuries, scientists and medical men have improved | | | | foods like soft boiled eggs, and drinking lots of liquids in |
| the experience of pregnancy for most women by | | | | small amounts. In spite of the fact that Rome of that |
| reducing risk to life and virtually eliminating pain. Despite | | | | day ruled the world over one thousand years ago, |
| the medical improvements, the woman's body | | | | traditional home remedies for morning sickness and |
| functions in its reproductive role as it has since before | | | | nausea remain the same. |
| recorded history. | | | | Today, if a woman wishes to determine for sure |
| Less than a lifetime ago, before pregnancy testing kits | | | | whether or not she is pregnant, she can purchase an |
| became available at every corner drug store, the first | | | | easy-to-use pregnancy testing kit at her local |
| public verification that a woman was "with child" was | | | | pharmacy and find out in the privacy of her own |
| her daily bout with nausea early in the pregnancy. The | | | | home. As with the women in ancient Rome, her first |
| onset of nausea also provided the mother to be with | | | | suspicion will be that first late period which never does |
| confirmation of her suspicions when she missed her | | | | come. The pregnancy kit confirms her suspicions. Her |
| last menstrual period. Morning sickness was Mother | | | | final verification about her condition will be, as it was |
| Nature's way of announcing to the world that a brand | | | | for the women of Rome, the onset of nausea and |
| new human being was under construction. It was a | | | | other symptoms of morning sickness. Modern fathers |
| harbinger of happiness or dismay, depending upon the | | | | will learn in much the same way as the Roman |
| mother to be's situation. Despite the advances of | | | | fathers, by the retching sounds coming from the |
| pregnancy detection kits, it remains as a recognized | | | | bathing area. |
| public announcement today. | | | | Thanks to technology, the way we detect pregnancy |
| The ancient Romans recognized the onset of nausea | | | | and assist women in childbirth has reduced much of |
| as the start of the second stage of pregnancy, which | | | | the danger and discomfort that had been associated |
| began about six weeks after conception. This second | | | | with pregnancy in past generations. Yet, the ultimate |
| stage was a four month period that was | | | | verification of the pregnancy continues to be the |
| characterized by nausea and morning sickness, upset | | | | natural occurrence of nausea and morning sickness - |
| stomachs, and cravings for unusual foods. This does | | | | Mother Nature's harbinger of new life. |