Morning Sickness – Nausea & Vomiting in Pregnancy

The Queasy Side of Expecting a Baby

Disclaimer: This page houses important information and resources pertaining to nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, including links to our evidence-based Fact Sheets. However, the resources here should not replace the care and advice of a medical professional.

Pregnancy comes with a lot of changes to the body that can cause some welcome and unwelcome symptoms. Perhaps one of the most dreaded symptoms is the one that could have you feeling nauseous for weeks – if not months. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) is extremely common; in fact, up to 4 out of every 5 pregnant people will experience it. Although it is often called “morning sickness”, NVP can actually happen at any time of the day. . NVP can disrupt women’s lives, interfering with normal activities and work. Further, because it is so common, many people including doctors may dismiss complaints from pregnant people. Experts suggest that perhaps treating it early will prevent NVP from getting much worse and becoming a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), which happens to about 2% of pregnant people. With HG, excessive nausea and vomiting can lead to dehydration as well as electrolyte and nutritional imbalances that may require hospitalization. HG is much more difficult to treat so trying to get a handle on it early is the healthiest choice.

Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy usually doesn’t harm the fetus, but it can affect your life, including your ability to work or go about your normal everyday activities. There are safe treatment options that can make you feel better and keep your symptoms from getting worse

— American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 

So what should a queasy parent-to-be do? Thankfully, there are food and lifestyle changes (see our Infographic) as well as medications that may help lessen the symptoms of NVP. Just keep in mind that no single therapy is going to help 100% of pregnant people with NVP, and some people might need a combination of lifestyle changes and medications to experience symptom relief. The important part is talking with your healthcare provider about your symptoms and how they are impacting you.

External Resources

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: FAQs: Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy
• March of Dimes: Morning Sickness
• healthychildren.org: Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Partners

• Patient Education Genius
• National Organization of Rare Disorders
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Society for Birth Defects Research & Prevention