Your pregnancy-related morning sickness questions answered
In this article
What's the lowdown?
Morning sickness is a common term used to describe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
It is a common misconception that this only occurs in the morning
A severe form of morning sickness is called hyperemesis gravidarum
There are not only physical effects of morning sickness, it can also affect people emotionally
What is morning sickness in pregnancy?
You’re pregnant, hormones all over the place, body changing, the last thing you need is feeling queasy or worse vomiting. Little did you know, morning sickness in pregnancy does not just happen in the morning. The feeling of nausea or vomiting can happen at any time of the day.
What causes morning sickness?
Honestly, what causes morning sickness in pregnancy? Well, what else could it be other than hormones! Research does also suggest that some women experience more severe morning sickness due to their genes. This predisposes them to have higher levels of GDF-15 hormone produced by the placenta which contributes to appetite loss and nausea1.
How common is it?
Around 70% of pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting. Sometimes, it can become so severe it leads to hospital admissions as women are unable to eat or drink2. This extreme form of nausea and vomiting is called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and usually leads to weight loss and electrolyte disturbances in the blood. HG can affect around 3% of pregnancies1.
Having more than one baby, like in twin and triplet pregnancies can increase the chances of morning sickness as there is a higher level of hormones released from the placenta3.
What does morning sickness feel like?
Morning sickness can be distressing emotionally and physically for many women, regardless of the severity. As it can affect you at any time of the day, it can interfere with your work, home and social life. Some even notice changes in their mood as they are unable to enjoy food and activities they normally would.
Usually it feels like nausea which can be triggered by certain smells or foods. Vomiting does not always accompany it.
A Lowdown user sheds some light on what morning sickness felt like for her:
“Morning sickness for me was more the feeling of nausea over actually being sick. Every smell was soooo intense and that made me feel sickly. I also got the worst ‘morning sickness’ at around 2pm!”
When does morning sickness start? When does morning sickness peak? When does morning sickness end?
Morning sickness usually starts early on in pregnancy, around the 4th and 7th week. Due to hormonal levels, the feeling of sickness can peak around week 92. It should slowly ease or completely clear around the 16th to 20th week of pregnancy in 90% of pregnancies1. However, sometimes it can continue for longer periods.
Can it be harmful to the baby?
Morning sickness is extremely common and the good news is that it does not affect the baby unless severe. If your morning sickness has become as bad as HG, you should definitely get some medical attention as you may need fluid replenishment, anti-sickness medication and monitoring.
What are the signs of severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum)
Morning sickness symptoms are usually described as2:
- Severe heartburn or reflux
- Motion sickness
- Smell sensitivity
- Loss of appetite
If it becomes so severe it is recognised as HG you might feel2:
- Unable to keep any food and water down
- Losing weight
- Dehydration
- Feeling faint/lightheaded
- Depression or anxiety
How to ease morning sickness
Sadly there is no cure for morning sickness in pregnancy and there is no specific way on how to avoid morning sickness in pregnancy. The way your body responds to hormones is specific and completely out of your control, but there are some tips and changes to your lifestyle that can ease symptoms.
Foods
You might notice some foods trigger nausea so try avoiding those foods. It is advised to eat dry foods like plain toast or biscuits in the morning. Try changing your eating habits from 3 regular meals to 6 small meals rich in carbohydrates and low in fat.
Make sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. If drinking large amounts of fluids is tricky, try sipping small amounts often. Ginger either in tea or supplements has shown some effectiveness in reducing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy2,4.
Lifestyle
Ensuring you get plenty of rest is essential as tiredness can worsen the feeling of nausea. There is also some evidence on how acupressure on your wrist with a special band or with your fingers can alleviate your symptoms2,5.
If you are struggling with your changes in emotional state, please do lean on your friends and family for support, or speak to your GP. You do not have to go through this period alone. Remember it takes a village!
Medicine
Try to avoid self medicating unless you get some medical advice as not all anti-sickness medications are safe for the baby. If lifestyle medications are not doing the trick, your GP might suggest and prescribe one or a combination of anti-sickness medications, which is often an antihistamine2. For severe HG, you will need to be admitted to hospital where you will receive medications through an injection or through the vein.
If you are unsure what you can take, speak to a doctor like a Lowdown GP for some advice. Better be safe than sorry!
Dr Fatema Dawoodbhoy
Fatema is currently training in London as an Academic doctor, with a special interest in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She is passionate about championing women to understand their bodies better and prioritise their health. She understands the importance of clinically accurate articles and has been writing engaging and educative medical content for 5 years.
Our medical review process
This article has been medically reviewed for factual and up to date information by a Lowdown doctor.
