Cannot Eat or Drink
| CARD 04 · YELLOW | |
|---|---|
| Category | Pre-existing |
| 108 | Not always required |
| Pathway | ASHA → Sub-Centre (IV Fluids) |
What is this?
Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy are very common and usually ease by the end of the third month. This is sometimes called morning sickness, though it can happen any time of day. Most women can still manage small sips of water and light food even when feeling very sick.
When vomiting is so severe that a woman cannot keep any food or water down at all — and this continues for more than two days — the body starts to dry out. Without fluids, both mother and baby are at risk. This level of sickness is not something to manage at home with oral fluids alone — an IV drip (fluids through a vein) at the Sub-Centre is needed.
- Sip ORS (oral rehydration solution) slowly — a few sips every few minutes
- Tell your ASHA straight away
- Go to the Sub-Centre today if you cannot keep any liquid down at all
- Do not try to push through more than two days of not being able to drink
Pathway: ASHA→Sub-Centre (IV Fluids)
The situation becomes dangerous when vomiting continues for more than two days with no break, or when the woman cannot swallow even water without bringing it up immediately. Dizziness and weakness that prevent her from standing are signs the body is severely dehydrated. She needs an IV drip at the Sub-Centre — this cannot be managed at home.
Khasi audio guide
Related cards
- Body Feels Hot — fever makes dehydration worse and faster
- Pale Eyelid and Nails — dehydration worsens anaemia
- Strong Belly Pain — vomiting with severe belly pain needs urgent care