Pregnancy Discomfort: Pain and Nausea in the 6th Month - What to Expect

Question
My daughter-in-law is having pain and nausea.  She is 6 months pregnant.  She spent two days in local hospital and the only explanation they gave her is that this pregnancy is close to her first.  Her daughter is 16 months old.  They told her that her uterus is growing fast and pushing on other organs.  They said it should pass in a couple of days.  This has been going on since late Friday.  She is taking Loritab.  We're concerned about her, the baby and the medication.  Does this explanation seem reasonable?  

Answer
Usually severe nausea during pregnancy will stop around 16 weeks gestation. However, some women will continue to have nausea of pregnancy throughout the pregnancy, due to hormonal fluctuations or due to anatomic causes. As the pregnancy advances, the uterus pushes the other organs upward against the diaphram. This, in turn, causes the pylorus of the stomach to be elevated and the hydrochloric acid in the stomach churnes around and is regurgitated into the esophagus, causing nausea and heartburn. This can be relieved with antacids (Mylanta, Maalox, Digel,Tums, Rolaids, etc). The Lortab is an analgesic medication which can alleviate any pain she has and is safe for use during pregnncy. As long as the baby is growing adequately and there is a good fetal heartbeat with no vaginal bleeding, there is no cause for concern. She can use a heating pad or warm showers to releive the pain and, if necessary, she can take Zofran for relief of nausea or vomiting. This is quite common. Good Luck on the rest of the pregnancy.