{"id":10184,"date":"2021-02-22T11:00:16","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T16:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.oviahealth.com\/guide\/10184\/morning-sickness-pregnancy\/"},"modified":"2025-01-10T10:35:59","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T15:35:59","slug":"morning-sickness-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/10184\/morning-sickness-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Morning sickness during pregnancy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Morning sickness. Ugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morning sickness, characterized by nausea, vomiting, and food aversions, is one of those tough conditions that just about every pregnant person (about 75%) will experience. So don\u2019t worry – you\u2019re in good company!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is morning sickness?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Morning sickness is an umbrella term used to describe a set of symptoms commonly felt during the first trimester of pregnancy. When most people refer to \u201cmorning sickness,\u201d they\u2019re probably talking about their nausea and vomiting. Although the name implies you\u2019ll only have symptoms at a certain time of day, these symptoms can strike at any time\u2013day or night.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When does morning sickness strike?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Contrary to what you might think, morning sickness can occur at any time of the day. Morning sickness can appear as early as three weeks after conception, and often lasts until about week 12. Morning sickness symptoms will fade by the end of the first trimester in most cases, but some may be affected by nausea and vomiting throughout their pregnancy. When severe, this is a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, and it can lead to dehydration or other complications. It\u2019s important to let your healthcare provider know if your nausea and vomiting are making it impossible to eat or drink or if they seem to be hanging around a bit longer than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What causes morning sickness?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Experts still aren\u2019t quite sure exactly why morning sickness happens, but they have some pretty good ideas. Many believe elevated levels of hormones like hCG and estrogen may play a role in the symptoms in that sneaky, unpredictable way that hormones do. Other possibilities include a heightened sense of smell and a sensitive stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women who experienced nausea on the birth control pill are more likely to experience morning sickness, as are women with a history of migraines, and those carrying multiple babies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other theories suggest that morning sickness is an evolutionary adaptation designed to protect you and your baby from unsafe foods, but this is very much unproven. Research <\/span>has<\/span><\/i> recently found a root cause for hyperemesis, and the hope is that newer treatments may follow this discovery.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you treat morning sickness?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Because certain medications can be dangerous to take while you\u2019re pregnant, it\u2019s important to check with your healthcare provider before taking any medicine meant to treat your morning sickness. However, there are some definitely other ways to treat your morning sickness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n