Everything You Need to Know About Morning Sickness

Morning sickness: one of the most common—and dreaded—symptoms of pregnancy. You probably expect to feel queasy and throw up, but how do you know if you’re experiencing morning sickness or something else? What’s considered a normal part of pregnancy, and when should you call your doctor? Here’s everything you need to know about morning sickness and our best tips for managing your symptoms.

When Does Morning Sickness Start?

Morning sickness is an extremely common pregnancy symptom—7 in 10 women will experience it during their first trimester. It typically begins in the sixth week of pregnancy, peaks at the ninth or tenth week, then gradually subsides. The exact timing, however, is different for every woman (and can be different with every pregnancy!). It’s important to note—grab the saltines!—that despite its name, morning sickness can occur at any time of day, morning, noon, or night.

What Causes Morning Sickness?

While morning sickness is usually blamed on all the new pregnancy hormones flooding your body, the exact cause isn’t fully understood. Healthcare providers believe morning sickness is caused by a number of factors, including:

Hormonal changes: fluctuations in pregnancy hormones, namely estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), are thought to play a significant role in triggering morning sickness.
Placenta proteins: new studies may have found a link between a protein released by the placenta called GDF15 and morning sickness. Women who reported experiencing morning sickness well into the second semester had higher concentrations of GDF15 in their blood.
Changes in digestion and metabolism: pregnancy slows the digestion process and causes huge changes in maternal metabolism. These factors may interact to cause feelings of nausea and the need to vomit.

What Are the Symptoms of Morning Sickness?

Common symptoms of morning sickness can include:

Nausea and feeling queasy
Vomiting
Loss of appetite and food aversions
Sensitivity to smells
Increased salivation

Every woman will experience morning sickness differently—some may feel queasy on and off all day, others may feel extremely nauseous and throw up. There’s a wide range of intensity and duration of symptoms, and they’ll vary for every woman (and you may experience different symptoms with each subsequent pregnancy).

If you have abdominal pain, fever, or have nausea and vomiting that begins after your ninth or tenth week, it’s not just morning sickness and warrants a call to your doctor.

Can Morning Sickness Be Severe?

Most women with morning sickness feel queasy for short periods of time, and may throw up once or twice. But if your nausea persists for hours, and vomiting occurs more than three times a day, it may be a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). Symptoms of HG include:

Vomiting three or more times a day
Vomiting that makes you feel dizzy
Dehydration
Excessive weight loss (10 lbs or more)

If your doctor suspects HG, they’ll order additional testing, and may prescribe medications to help relieve nausea. In extreme cases, IV hydration at a hospital may be required.

Are Some Women More Likely to Develop Morning Sickness than Others?

Yes. There are certain factors that make it more likely for you to experience morning sickness, including:

Being pregnant with multiples
Having a history of migraines
Being overweight
Having high levels of stress or anxiety
Having a history of motion sickness
Living in a hot climate
Not getting enough sleep

And it turns out that an old wives tale could be true: some studies have shown that women with severe morning sickness are more likely to give birth to a girl.

When Does Morning Sickness End?

Morning sickness usually begins to subside by the end of the first trimester, between weeks 12-14. However, in some cases it may last longer and continue into the second trimester.

Keep in mind that every pregnancy is unique, and you may experience morning sickness for a shorter or longer duration. If you’re experiencing severe or prolonged symptoms, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider for personalized advice and guidance.

Can You Prevent Morning Sickness?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to completely prevent morning sickness, but there are certain environmental and lifestyle factors that will worsen symptoms, including:

Hunger: low blood sugar levels contribute to nausea, so going for long periods without eating may worsen morning sickness symptoms.
Certain smells: strong odors may trigger nausea in pregnant women—typical offenders include perfumes, cooking and food smells, and cigarette smoke.
Anxiety and stress: emotional stress and anxiety can intensify nausea during pregnancy.
Being overtired: fatigue and lack of sleep can worsen nausea.
Motion sickness: if you’ve struggled with motion sickness while traveling in your pre-pregnancy life, expect it to worsen morning sickness when you’re pregnant.
Heat and hot weather: hot temperatures, especially when combined with humidity, can aggravate morning sickness and nausea.

Are There Foods that Help Morning Sickness?

Eating a diet of unprocessed, nutrient-rich, and high-protein foods may help with morning sickness. While a healthy diet is always a goal, don’t forget to pay attention to your body’s cues: if subsisting on Pop-Tarts is keeping the queasiness at bay, stock up your pantry. Your healthcare provider may suggest trying:

Bland foods like dry toast, crackers, pretzels, applesauce, and bananas
Produce with high water content, like watermelon, celery, citrus fruits, and bell peppers
High protein smoothies made with yogurt or your favorite nut butter

Tips for Managing Morning Sickness

Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet for alleviating the symptoms of morning sickness, but there are several strategies and remedies that can help. Here are some suggestions:

Try eating small, frequent meals: having an empty stomach or low blood sugar can often trigger nausea, so making sure that you always have a little something in your stomach may help.
Eat as soon as you wake up: keep a few crackers or pretzels by your bed and have a snack before getting up.
Avoid certain foods: some foods—like anything greasy, fatty, or spicy—are more likely to activate nausea. Stick with bland foods like bananas, rice, dry toast, and applesauce (don’t worry—it doesn’t last forever!).
Don’t take your prenatal vitamin on an empty stomach: take your vitamin with a snack or meal to help with queasiness.
Add a little protein: protein-rich foods like yogurt, eggs, cheese, nuts, and peanut butter can reduce nausea.
Stay hydrated: drink plenty of fluids, especially water, throughout the day.
Try certain flavors: ginger and peppermint can curtail nausea and vomiting. You can find these flavors in teas, candies, and ginger ale.
Avoid triggers: if certain foods or smells trigger nausea, stay away.
Rest and manage stress: fatigue and stress can intensify morning sickness. Try getting plenty of rest, take breaks when needed, and find ways to relax and manage stress, such as yoga, deep breathing exercises, gentle exercise, and meditation.

If your morning sickness is persistent and severe, your healthcare provider may prescribe:

Vitamin B6: vitamin B6 (also called pyridoxine) may help with nausea and vomiting.
Doxylamine: doxylamine (brand name Unisom) is an over-the-counter sleep aid that’s used to treat occasional insomnia, but it may also reduce the severity of morning sickness.
Diclegis and other antiemetics: if your morning sickness is so severe that it’s affecting your ability to function, your healthcare provider may prescribe Diclegis or another antiemetic that is safe to take during pregnancy.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t take anything, even an over-the-counter supplement, without discussing with your healthcare provider.

When Should You Call Your Healthcare Provider?

Morning sickness is definitely aggravating (and not fun), but it shouldn’t be debilitating. Call your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing:

Severe and persistent nausea that prevents you from eating and drinking
Vomiting three or more times a day
Fainting or feeling dizzy
Weight loss
Confusion or disorientation
Abdominal pain
Fever
Producing little to no pee when going to the bathroom

Your healthcare provider will want to investigate severe morning sickness to rule out any underlying conditions and come up with a treatment plan.

Morning sickness can make the first trimester of your pregnancy pretty uncomfortable—most women feel queasy and nauseous until the beginning of the second trimester. Fortunately, there are changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle that will help offer a little relief until your symptoms subside. Remember, if your symptoms are persistent and severe, contact your healthcare provider to discuss your options.