Sure your wife is doubled over and sick as a dog and it’s hard to watch her suffer. But you often hear that morning sickness is actually a sign that the baby is doing well. Maybe it's just a way to make mom feel that all the agony serves some real purpose in the grand plan but laymen theories include the baby "telling" mom what not to eat and mom's reaction to changing hormones.

But is there a silver lining on what has to be the biggest cloud over the early months of pregnancy? Yes, says a study published in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2006. Among 7000 women studied, those who had morning sickness (nausea and/or vomiting) were far less likely to have a miscarriage. In another study, this time by the National Institutes of Health, women who were nauseous in the first four months of pregnancy were 30% less likely to have a miscarriage.

Why is this the case? Higher levels of hormone produced by healthy placental tissue may cause it. And doctors now do think that it may be nature's way of helping the mother avoid foods that would be bad for the developing baby.

While this data does indicate some link between morning sickness and miscarriage, there is no data to suggest any link between nausea and other aspects of a healthy pregnancy.

Nausea and vomiting, starting few weeks after conception or even earlier, may be one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms . The popular term 'morning sickness' is a misnomer though, as the symptoms are felt pretty much throughout the day.

Coping With Morning Sickness

During her pregnancy, your spouse may suffer from morning sickness. This is quite normal. Half of all pregnant women experience morning sickness symptoms to at least some degree. The most commonly observed symptoms are vomiting and nausea. Usually harmless, morning sickness is rarely severe enough to warrant medical attention.

Here are some things you can do to help your partner cope better with morning sickness:

• Remind her to drink plenty of fluids.
• Encourage her to choose foods containing high carbohydrate and rich protein content.
• Keep a box of pretzels or crackers near her bedside. Eating these before getting out of bed in the morning will make her feel better.
• Motivate her to change her eating patterns. Eating smaller meals at regular intervals will reduce symptoms of nausea. Help her identify foods that trigger nausea in her, such as fatty or spicy items. Encourage her to eliminate these from her diet.
• Buy her loose-fitting clothes to wear, which will keep her comfortable and allow her to relax.
• Recognize her need for rest. Make sure she gets an adequate amount of it. This may involve you pitching in with some of the housework, like doing the dishes or the laundry, or maybe even fixing breakfast.
• Above all, offer your moral support and make her feel cheerful.

It is essential that your spouse stays fit during her pregnancy . Her health as well as her baby's depends on it.