When do pregnancy symptoms peak

Morning sickness (also called nausea and vomiting of pregnancy) is nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) and vomiting that happens in the first few months of pregnancy. Even though it's called morning sickness, it can last all day and happen any time of day.

At least 7 in 10 pregnant women have morning sickness in the first trimester (first 3 months) of pregnancy. It usually starts at about 6 weeks of pregnancy and is at its worst at about 9 weeks. Most women feel better in their second trimester, but some have morning sickness throughout pregnancy. If you have morning sickness, tell your health care provider.

Mild morning sickness doesn’t harm you or your baby. But if nausea and vomiting becomes severe (called hyperemesis gravidarum), it can cause serious problems during pregnancy. You may need to stay in the hospital for treatment. 

What is hyperemesis gravidarum?

About 3 in 100 women may have hyperemesis gravidarum. This is extreme, excessive nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It can cause you to lose weight and become dehydrated (not have enough water in your body). It can start early in pregnancy and last the entire pregnancy. If you have hyperemesis gravidarum, you need treatment to help keep you and your baby safe.

You may be at risk for hyperemesis gravidarum if you:

• Are pregnant for the first time.
• Are pregnant with a girl.
• Are pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets or more). Being pregnant with more than one baby may increase your risk for severe morning sickness because you may have a large placenta and increased pregnancy hormones. The placenta grows in your uterus (womb) and supplies your babies with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.   
• Had mild or severe morning sickness in a previous pregnancy, or your mother or sister had severe morning sickness during pregnancy. Take your family health history to help you find out about health conditions that run in your family. 
• Have motion sickness or migraines.  A migraine is a severe headache that may make you sensitive to bright lights and sound.
• Are overweight.
• Have trophoblastic disease, a condition that leads to abnormal cell growth in the uterus (womb).

Signs and symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum include:

• Vomiting more than 3 to 4 times a day 
• Vomiting that makes you dizzy or lightheaded
• Vomiting that makes you dehydrated. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include feeling thirsty, dry mouth, a fast heartbeat or making little to no urine. 
• Losing more than 10 pounds in pregnancy 

If you have hyperemesis gravidarum, your provider may treat you with medicine to help relieve your nausea and vomiting. You may need treatment in a hospital with intravenous (also called IV) fluids. IV fluids go through a needle into your vein. They help you stay hydrated and can give you nutrients that you usually get from food.  If you continue to lose weight, you may need a feeding tube to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients for you and your baby. 

What causes morning sickness? 

We don’t know for sure what causes morning sickness. It may be caused by low blood sugar or increased pregnancy hormones. Morning sickness may be worse if you’re stressed or overly tired, if you eat certain foods or if you’re traveling (if you often have motion sickness).

Can you prevent or relieve morning sickness?

Yes. Here’s what you can do to help you feel better and even prevent morning sickness:

• Take a prenatal vitamin before you get pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about which one to take. Sometimes vitamins can upset your stomach, so take it with a snack.
• Keep snacks by your bed. Eat a few crackers before you get up in the morning to help settle your stomach.
• Eat 5 or 6 small meals each day instead of 3 larger meals.  
• Eat foods that are low in fat and easy to digest, like cereal, rice and bananas. Don’t eat spicy or fatty foods. 
• Eat healthy snacks between meals. This can help keep your stomach from being empty and helps prevent nausea. Try snacks that are high in protein, like milk or yogurt. 
• Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.  
• Avoid smells that upset your stomach.

You may have heard about these ways to prevent or relieve morning sickness. Talk to your provider before trying any of these:

• Acupressure and acustimulation (also called electrical nerve stimulation) wristbands. These involve putting pressure on or stimulating certain points of the body (called pressure points) to help prevent nausea.  
• Acupuncture. This is a kind of treatment in which thin needles are put into your skin. If you’re thinking about acupuncture to help with morning sickness, tell your provider and find an acupuncturist who is trained to work with pregnant women.
• Ginger. Ginger is the root of a plant that is used in cooking and medicine. Ginger ale, tea or candies may help relieve morning sickness.

Even if it’s legal where you live for either personal or medical use, it’s not safe to use marijuana to treat morning sickness. No amount of marijuana has been proven safe to use during pregnancy. If you’re thinking of using marijuana to help with morning sickness, talk with your provider about other treatments that are safer for your baby.

Is there medical treatment for morning sickness?

Yes. If you can’t relieve morning sickness on your own or if you have severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, your provider may treat you with these medicines:

• Vitamin B6 and doxylamine. Your provider may treat you with these medicines separately or together. You can get vitamin B6 and doxylamine over-the-counter (OTC), which means you don’t need a prescription for them from your provider. Doxylamine is found in some OTC medicines that help you sleep. Or your provider may prescribe you a medicine that combines them.
• Antiemetic drugs. These are drugs that help prevent vomiting. If Vitamin B6 and doxylamine don’t work, your provider may prescribe an antiemetic drug for you. Not all are safe to use during pregnancy, so talk to your provider to make sure the medicine is a good choice for you.

Talk with your provider before you take any medicine during pregnancy, even medicine to help treat morning sickness.

When should you call your health care provider about morning sickness?

For most women, morning sickness is mild and goes away over time. But call your provider if:

• Your morning sickness continues into your 4th month of pregnancy. 
• You lose more than 2 pounds. 
• Your vomit is brown in color or has blood in it. If so, call your provider right away.
• You vomit more than 3 times a day and can’t keep food or fluids down. 
• Your heart beats faster than usual. 
• You’re tired or confused. 
• You’re making much less urine than usual or no urine at all. 

Last reviewed: September, 2020

We’re going to level with you here: While there are myriad things to love about being pregnant, there’s at least one thing that is in no way enjoyable. In fact, it can feel downright insufferable. If you guessed morning sickness, you got it. Among the early pregnancy symptoms you’re likely to experience, this nausea could very well be the worst. If you’re expecting or even just trying to conceive, you may already be bracing yourself for what’s to come (up). So, when does morning sickness start?

RELATED: Food Poisoning or the Stomach Flu? How to Tell and Treat

Before we dive into all of the specifics, though, remember to think of it this way: Although morning sickness can be miserable, it’s also a sign your pregnant body is working hard to sustain new life. Just keep that in mind as we take a closer look at the potential timeline for morning sickness. Plus, we’ll include a few tips on how to get some relief.

How does morning sickness feel?

If we had to describe morning sickness in one word, it might be, “ugh.” By definition, morning sickness refers to queasiness believed to be caused by pregnancy hormones. It’s technically known as nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, or NVP, if that tells you anything.

It’s a bit like having seasickness that lasts for weeks. Maybe even months. Of course, every body and every pregnancy is different, so your morning sickness may feel different than the next person’s. What you should know, though, is that the term “morning sickness” can be a misnomer — it often isn’t relegated to the morning. In fact, some people refer to it as “all-the-time sickness” or “anytime sickness.”

Is morning sickness diarrhea a thing?

First off, we’re sorry, mama. Morning sickness is the absolute worst! But in addition to feeling nauseous and puking all the time, morning sickness diarrhea is also extremely common. During the early parts of your pregnancy, your body is going through a bunch of gastrointestinal changes, so don’t feel anxious if you begin to feel constipated or experience loose bowels. Remember there can be other reasons you may be experiencing diarrhea as well, like food poisoning, traveling, or antibiotics. If your little bun in the oven is the cause, though, we got you. Be sure to stay hydrated because, between the puking and the pooping, you’re losing a lot of fluids. Also incorporate easy-to-digest foods into your diet like banana, rice, or applesauce.

What causes morning sickness?

Although the exact cause of morning sickness isn’t fully understood, it’s believed to be caused by a sudden surge in the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) along with estrogen and progesterone. Higher levels of hCG are often even linked with more severe cases of morning sickness.

When does morning sickness start?

There you are, cruising along just minding your own business when — BAM! You start to feel waves of nausea so strong that you’re sure you’re going to vomit. And, well, that might be precisely what takes place next. For many women, morning sickness is one of the first major hints that they’re expecting a little one. These symptoms, which can come on gradually or instantly, typically present around 5 to 6 weeks pregnant. Having said that, some mamas report feeling this nausea as early as 4 weeks pregnant.

What weeks is morning sickness the worst?

When your morning sickness peaks may be different from the next preggo mama. Generally speaking, though, it’s thought that morning sickness peaks between eight to 11 weeks pregnant.

When does morning sickness end?

Oh, how we wish we could tell you that your morning sickness woes will end with your first trimester! On the plus side, that is true for many mamas. Morning sickness typically starts to ease up around 12 to 14 weeks. But — and it’s a big one — some women deal with it well into their second trimester. And, for a few of us poor unfortunate souls (up to 10 percent), this nausea stretches all the way into the third trimester.

For others, it ends with the onset of the second trimester only to circle back with a vengeance in the third trimester as baby gets bigger and presses more on your stomach and intestines. Oof, Mama. Oof.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule saying you’ll definitely get morning sickness if you’re carrying twins or that, if you do, it’ll be worse than that of non-multiples pregnancies. It could be, though, and we’ll tell you why. Remember how we talked about hCG? Well, if you’re pregnant with multiples, it stands to reason you’ll have higher levels of hCG to support more than one baby. And since hCG is linked to morning sickness, it’s possible women carrying twins (who have more hCG) might deal with more intense bouts of morning sickness.

Are there home remedies that might help?

One of the best resources for coping with morning sickness is other moms who’ve been through it. Ask your mom. Ask your aunts, your BFFs, your co-workers… anyone who’s willing to share! Because the truth is, you’re probably going to have to try a handful of things before you find one that provides any sort of morning sickness relief. A few common suggestions include:

• Eat small, frequent meals so you aren’t too hungry or too full (both of which exacerbate morning sickness).
• Ginger is your friend, so try ginger chews or candies to settle your tummy. You can also make it into a tea or chew on the actual root. It’s so effective even chemotherapy patients use it to relieve their nausea.
• Drink peppermint tea.
• Stay as hydrated as possible — yes, even if it means making a million trips to the bathroom.
• Eat something right when you wake up, like Saltines or an apple.
• Steer clear of strong smells.
• Sniff lemon juice (yes, really). A slice of lemon can also go a long way. If you don’t have a lemon, other citrus fruits will also do the trick.
• Rest up, Mama!
• If you’re looking for some spices that’ll stop your head from spinning, fennel powder, cinnamon, and cumin extract can be added to your everyday meals. You can also take supplements.
• And speaking of supplements, the B6 vitamin is also a great capsule to take to soothe nausea during pregnancy. It has little to no side effects for expectant mothers.
• It sounds simple enough, but avoid eating too much and drinking liquids with your meal. You want to avoid the feeling of fullness, so try not to overeat.
• Keep your salty snacks close like pretzels, nuts, and crackers. You can munch on these salty bites if you start to feel woozy.
• Keep tums and other antacids on hand. This will help you feel better after puking and eliminate nausea.
• Take it slow when you wake up in the morning. During your morning routine, try not to rush because it can make you queasy. Take. Your. Time.
• Always keep some baby wipes and mints in your purse. This will help you clean and freshen up after vomiting.

It’s totally natural to worry when you’re pregnant. About, you know, pretty much everything — especially if this is your first baby. But rest assured, morning sickness is very common and typically not a cause of major concern. As long as you’re staying hydrated and able to keep some food down, baby should be fine.

But if you’re throwing up more than three times a day, can’t keep any foods or liquids down for 24 hours, feel weak and/or dizzy, and lose three or more pounds in a week, you may be one of the up to three percent of pregnant women who suffer from the most extreme form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy: hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG.

Since HG can cause complications during pregnancy, it’s always best to bring up any concerns with your obstetrician ASAP. Even if it turns out you don’t have it, your doctor may be able to offer advice or even medication to help you manage your morning sickness.

This article was originally published on 11.2.2020