Why is there morning sickness

Morning Sickness: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

Medically reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH — By Euna Chi, MD on August 25, 2019

Overview

Morning sickness is a common symptom of pregnancy and is marked by nausea and occasional vomiting. Despite the name, morning sickness can cause discomfort at any time of the day.

Morning sickness usually happens within the first four months of pregnancy and is often the first sign that a woman is pregnant.

There are various ways to alleviate morning sickness, and complications are rare.

Causes of morning sickness

There’s no one cause of morning sickness during pregnancy, and severity varies among women. Increased hormone levels during the first few weeks of pregnancy is among the most common causes. Reduced blood sugar is another common cause of morning sickness.

Other factors can worsen morning sickness. These include:

having twins or triplets
excessive fatigue
emotional stress
frequent traveling

Morning sickness can vary between pregnancies. While you may have had severe morning sickness during one pregnancy, in future pregnancies it may be very mild.

Possible complications of morning sickness

Nausea and vomiting can easily cause a loss of appetite. Many pregnant women worry that this will harm their babies. Mild morning sickness is generally not harmful.

Women who experience morning sickness well beyond the first 3 to 4 months of their pregnancies should speak with their doctor. Also seek help if you aren’t gaining any weight during pregnancy.

Morning sickness is usually not severe enough to hinder fetal growth and development. For some pregnant women, nausea causes them to experience severe vomiting and weight loss.

This condition is called hyperemesis gravidarum. It causes electrolyte imbalances and unintentional weight loss. If left untreated, this condition may eventually harm your baby.

Call your doctor immediately if you experience:

inability to keep food down
weight loss of 2 pounds or more
fever
infrequent urination with small quantities of dark-colored urine
lightheadedness or dizziness
fast heartbeat
severe nausea within the second trimester
blood in your vomit
frequent headaches
abdominal pain
spotting, or bleeding

Severe bouts of morning sickness generally require hospitalization. Hyperemesis gravidarum often requires intravenous (IV) fluids for rehydration.

Treatment for morning sickness

Your doctor may prescribe supplements or medications to alleviate nausea and to help you retain foods and fluids. Medications your doctor may prescribe include:

antihistamines: to help with nausea and motion sickness
phenothiazine: to help calm severe nausea and vomiting
metoclopramide (Reglan): to help the stomach move food into the intestines and help with nausea and vomiting
antacids: to absorb stomach acid and help prevent acid reflux

Do not take these medications on your own without first talking with your doctor.

Some people find that alternative remedies may also help relieve morning sickness. Make sure you only try these after first discussing them with your doctor. These remedies include:

vitamin B-6 supplements
prenatal vitamins
ginger products, including ginger ale, ginger tea, and ginger drops
saltine crackers
acupuncture
hypnosis

Tests for morning sickness

Based on your symptoms, your doctor may order some tests to make sure that you and your baby are safe. These include:

Urine tests

Urine tests can determine whether you’re dehydrated.

Blood chemistry tests

Your doctor may order blood chemistry tests that include:

complete blood count (CBC)
comprehensive metabolic panel
comprehensive metabolic panel (Chem-20), to measure the electrolytes in your blood.

These tests will determine whether you’re:

dehydrated
malnourished, or deficient in certain vitamins
anemic

Ultrasound

Ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images of your baby. The doctor then uses these images and sounds to check that your baby is developing at a healthy rate.

Preventing morning sickness

Taking the following steps may help prevent or minimize nausea:

Drink plenty of water.
Drink water before and after meals.
Take naps.
Ventilate your home and workspace to eliminate scents that make you nauseous.
Avoid spicy foods.
Eat small meals.
Avoid fatty foods.
Take vitamins at night.
Avoid cigarette smoke.

If none of these preventative measures works, or if you experience morning sickness beyond the first 3 to 4 months of your pregnancy, it’s important that you speak with your doctor.

Also, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any medications or alternative remedies to discuss these options.

Last medically reviewed on August 26, 2019

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M, et al. (2018). Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy-what’s new? DOI:
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Metoclopramide [Fact sheet]. (2018).
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Morning sickness: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. (n.d.).
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Medically reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH — By Euna Chi, MD on August 25, 2019

When Does Morning Sickness Start? Plus, How to Manage It

Morning sickness refers to nausea and vomiting that’s thought to be caused by pregnancy hormones. It typically peaks from the middle to the end of the first trimester. However, some females may experience it for longer.

Whether you’re already pregnant, hoping to be, or wondering if you are, morning sickness is one of the most infamous pregnancy symptoms out there — it’s both miserable and reassuring. After all, who wants to feel nauseous? Yet this might be the sign you’ve been looking for: baby on the way!

An estimated 70% to 80% of pregnant females experience morning sickness. Morning sickness refers to nausea and vomiting that’s thought to be caused by pregnancy hormones. It most commonly starts around week 6 of pregnancy and goes away by week 14 (although some females continue to experience nausea later in their pregnancy).

The term “morning sickness” is rather misleading, as nausea and/or vomiting that you might experience may strike at any time of day.

Whether you already know you’re pregnant, or you’re wondering if the queasiness you felt last night could mean something, read on for more info about when morning sickness usually starts, when it will (hopefully!) end, how to manage your nausea, and when to get help if needed.

[the terms “male” and “female”]

In this article, we use “male and female” to refer to someone’s sex as determined by their chromosomes and “men and women” when referring to their gender (unless quoting from sources using nonspecific language).

Chromosomes determine sex, and gender is a social construct that can vary between time periods and cultures. Both of these aspects are acknowledged to exist on a spectrum both historically and by modern scientific consensus.

Morning sickness is the conversational name for nausea and vomiting experienced during pregnancy. It’s called morning sickness because many females experience the most severe symptoms first thing in the morning.

However, many would prefer to call it “anytime sickness,” as the nausea can come and go (or even be worse at other times of day, such as in the evening).

The stereotype of morning sickness is a pregnant female who throws up as soon as her feet hit the floor in the morning, but most moms report a variety of symptoms. Some throw up frequently, some are nauseated all day, and some just have nausea triggered by certain smells or foods.

Morning sickness most commonly begins around week 6 of pregnancy, although a few moms report feeling nausea as early as 4 weeks pregnant (which is only 2 weeks after conception!).

Week 4 of pregnancy is around the time your period is due to start. Most females have a positive pregnancy test at 5 to 6 weeks pregnant (which is typically 1 to 2 weeks after your period was due).

Symptoms may start out somewhat mildly around 6 weeks, get worse and peak around 9 to 10 weeks, and then decrease as you get closer to 12 to 14 weeks.

If you have morning sickness, you’re likely counting the days until you start feeling better. For many expecting moms, morning sickness begins to improve around 12 to 14 weeks (so around the start of the second trimester).

Almost all mothers report that their symptoms are completely gone by 16 to 20 weeks, although up to 10% of females have nausea all the way up to delivery. Oof.

Occasionally, nausea may resurface in the third trimester as the baby gets bigger and squishes your stomach and intestines (which doesn’t make for the most comfortable digestion).

While morning sickness does not start earlier if you are carrying twins, it may be more severe once it does start.

The theory is that pregnancy hormones — such as progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) that are produced by the placenta — are responsible for sickness in the first place.

If you’re pregnant with twins, you have higher levels of these hormones, and therefore might experience more severe morning sickness.

While it may be very uncomfortable (or even downright miserable) and disruptive to your daily life, the positive news is that morning sickness is very rarely harmful to you or your baby.

A 2016 study from the National Institutes of Health showed that females who experience morning sickness may be less likely to experience a miscarriage. Morning sickness may indicate a healthy placenta that is producing plenty of pregnancy-supporting hormones.

A very small percentage of females have an extreme form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum. This condition includes severe, uncontrollable nausea and vomiting that can result in weight loss, electrolyte imbalances, malnutrition, and dehydration. It can be harmful to you and your baby if left untreated.

If you’re throwing up more than you expected to, cannot eat or drink, develop a fever, lose more than 2 pounds in a week, or have dark-colored urine, it is important to call your doctor. They can check on you and your baby, and help control your vomiting so you can stay hydrated and nourished.

While morning sickness is a totally normal part of a healthy pregnancy, you don’t have to suffer without help for 3 months of nausea! There are some tricks and treatments you can try to help get some relief. Consider these remedies:

Eat small, frequent meals (morning sickness is worse on a very full or very empty stomach).
Eat plenty of protein and carbs (and avoid heavy, greasy foods).
Sip ginger tea or chew on ginger candies.
Drink peppermint tea or diffuse peppermint essential oil.
Make an appointment for acupuncture or acupressure.
Drink fluid in small sips throughout the day.
Eat crackers before you get out of bed in the morning.
Avoid strong smells whenever possible.
Eat foods that you don’t have to cook like a sandwich, salad, or fruit smoothie.
Drink lemonade or sniff some lemon juice.
Avoid getting overheated.
Continue exercise such as walking, prenatal yoga, or swimming.
Get extra rest when possible.

If you find that home remedies aren’t helping to keep your morning sickness to a tolerable level, give your doctor a call. They may be able to prescribe a vitamin B6 supplement or an anti-nausea medication that’s safe to take during pregnancy.

If you are one of the lucky 20% to 30% of females who don’t experience morning sickness during pregnancy, you may be feeling nervous.

It can be unsettling when people ask, “Oh, how are you feeling?!” and you guiltily reply, “Totally fine!” — only to get strange looks and hear stories of how they threw up every day for months.

While you may be concerned about your lack of nausea, there are plenty of females who have completely healthy pregnancies without feeling sick at all. Some are more sensitive to hormonal changes or have more sensitive stomachs, which may make them more prone to nausea than others.

It’s also common to have nausea that comes and goes — some days you may feel like total yuck and other days feel just fine.

If you’re worried about your lack of sickness or sickness that stops suddenly, give your OB-GYN a call. They’ll be happy to help reassure you or check out your baby to make sure everything is fine.

Morning sickness is a term used to refer to nausea and vomiting that can happen anytime (day or night) during pregnancy. It most commonly occurs during the first trimester. Symptoms may start as early as 6 weeks and are usually gone by 14 weeks of pregnancy.

Morning sickness is rarely severe enough to cause harm, although some females do have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum that may require medical treatment.

There are a number of home remedies you can try to alleviate your nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

While females who have morning sickness have been shown to have a lower rate of miscarriage, there are many females with healthy pregnancies who do not have morning sickness at all.

If you’re concerned about your nausea (or lack thereof), it is always a good idea to give your doctor a call. They are there to keep you and your growing baby as safe and healthy as possible!

In the meantime, kick up your feet, take a deep breath, and sip some ginger tea. The sickness will be over before you know it, and you’ll be closer than ever to meeting your new little one!

Why do you feel sick in the morning on an empty stomach

Nausea in the morning on an empty stomach is most common in pregnant women due to intoxication, but it is not uncommon for males or even children to have this problem

Do not worry too much if you have encountered such a problem once, it is likely that this is a banal poisoning. But, if nausea in the morning on an empty stomach does not go away, you should immediately consult a doctor. Some people are used to dealing with this problem with folk remedies and medicines and they really get better, but it is worth considering that most likely the disease or pathology itself continues to develop. And as a result, it will turn into a more serious form. That is why it is so important to consult a doctor who will find out the cause of morning sickness and prescribe the most effective treatment. nine0004

Possible diseases

Most often, morning sickness on an empty stomach may indicate the presence of the following diseases: unpleasant symptoms. This is due to inflammatory processes in the duodenum 12. The patient can also be tormented by: burning, bloating during and after eating, heartburn. nine0013 Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) - also characterized by nausea in the morning, as well as after eating fatty or fried foods. This disease is easily confused with gastritis due to the similarity of symptoms, but with pancreatitis, the patient begins to have problems with stools and an unpleasant, bitter taste in the mouth.

Appendicitis - nausea is likely to fade into the background, after unbearable pain in the right side begins to appear.

Inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) - this disease can also be accompanied by morning nausea. Accompanying symptoms are pain in the right hypochondrium and excessive gas formation. nine0014

Other causes of nausea in the morning

After excluding the above diseases from the list of causes, the following causes can be considered:

Pregnancy. Intoxication and nausea in the morning is often found in pregnant women, especially in the early stages. This is a normal reaction of the body to significant changes and hormonal changes. It is very important to completely exclude drugs for the treatment of the digestive tract during pregnancy. These funds can have an extremely negative impact on the health of the patient, the unborn child and the course of pregnancy. Therefore, you will have to endure this ailment and get by with folk remedies, but be sure to consult your doctor. nine0014
Migraine. Morning sickness on an empty stomach may precede a severe headache. You will most likely still feel a lot of noise and increased sensitivity to smells.
High blood pressure (hypertension). The problem of morning sickness can be accompanied by headache and dizziness. If you do not pay attention to these symptoms in a timely manner, you risk starting this disease, which in turn can lead to a stroke.
Cardiovascular disease - rarely, nausea on an empty stomach occurs with heart failure or developing myocardial infarction. If nausea is accompanied by pain, a feeling of heaviness and tightness behind the sternum, numbness or tingling in one half of the body, it is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible, as this may be an incipient myocardial infarction. nine0014
Increased intracranial pressure - Nausea and regurgitation in infants can occur when pressure increases inside the ventricles of the brain.

What to do if you feel sick in the morning

It is important to understand that regular morning sickness is a signal of the presence of a pathology or disease and it is highly undesirable to self-medicate. Be sure to consult a doctor for an examination, but if you don’t have such an opportunity at the moment, there are several effective ways that will help reduce or temporarily get rid of this problem:

Medicines. You need to be very careful and you must be sure that morning sickness is not the cause of pregnancy or an intestinal disease.
Ginger root, mint and lemon drinks. You can make infusions of these products for maximum effect, simply by adding them to a glass and boiling water, after 15 minutes you will have a very effective and safe (in the absence of allergies) remedy for morning sickness. YOU can also just add them to hot tea. nine0014
Medicinal collection - if nausea relentlessly torments you in the morning, you can try a collection of mint, oak bark and celandine. To prepare the drink, take 1 tsp of mint leaves, dried oak bark and chopped celandine, pour 0.5 l of boiling water and boil in a water bath for 10 minutes. After the broth is cooled and filtered, take 1 tablespoon 3-5 times a day before meals.
During pregnancy. There are some little tricks you can use. For example, do not get out of bed quickly, drink plenty of fluids. Eliminate fatty and heavy foods from your diet. Eat small meals several times a day. nine0014

Tired of nausea in the morning? Constantly sick after eating? We understand the reasons!

Why do you feel sick in the morning?
Causes of nausea after eating
How to determine the exact cause of nausea?
What to do if the gastroenterologist did not reveal violations?

Nausea, a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, heartburn are familiar to everyone. I overate on fatty delicacies at the festive table - unpleasant sensations will not be long in coming. I drank expired kefir or too much alcohol - nausea is right there. The reasons are simple and clear. In the first case, there were not enough enzymes to digest food, and the liver had to work at its limit. In the second, toxic substances entered the body, which caused poisoning. These symptoms are unpleasant, but they are temporary. And they usually go away after a few days or even hours. But what if you feel sick all the time? We need to figure out the reasons! nine0004

Why do you feel sick in the morning?

Waking up daily in the morning with a feeling of nausea, which causes you to refuse breakfast and take a long time to "come to yourself", may be associated with nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux (reflux of bile into the esophagus). By itself, it is not a pathology, since normally it occurs mainly after eating and does not cause discomfort. The body for its suppression includes compensatory antireflux mechanisms.

But if an unpleasant symptom is observed frequently and lasts for a long time, then we can talk about gastroesophageal reflux disease or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. MRI of the abdominal cavity will help to find out the exact cause and make a diagnosis. nine0004

Causes of nausea after eating

Nausea after breakfast or lunch can be caused by heavy meals (mainly fatty), overeating, psychogenic eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia).

But in most cases, the patient's unpleasant condition is associated with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, colitis, peptic ulcer, enteritis.

How to determine the exact cause of nausea?

The range of possible violations, as we see, is quite "rich". Nausea can be caused by the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, duodenum, lower esophageal sphincter, and gastroesophageal junction. nine0004

Problems can cause inflammation, erosion, ulcers, cysts, tumors, gallstones. The cause may be stenosis (narrowing) of the output section of the stomach, fibrosis, cirrhosis and fatty degeneration of the liver (hepatosis). Often, patients are diagnosed with functional disorders.

Abdominal MRI is recommended to determine the gastrointestinal cause of nausea and rule out a tumor causing dysphagia (food obstruction and stagnation).

A highly informative study allows the patient not to run around the doctors' offices, checking each organ separately. And immediately simulate a three-dimensional image of each organ, see its layered sections. And get an idea of the overall picture: the thickness and changes in the walls of the stomach, the state of the gallbladder, the size of the liver, pancreas, duodenum, esophagus, track their functions in real time. MRI provides better visualization of the gastrointestinal tract than CT, so this method is preferable in most cases. nine0004

Examination can be done without and with contrast. In the second case, the cost of abdominal MRI will be higher, but the study will provide more accurate information on tumor neoplasms.

What should I do if the gastroenterologist has not identified any abnormalities?

It also happens that after the examination, the gastroenterologist tells the patient that no pathologies have been detected on his part. However, such joyful news does not yet mean that the person who came with complaints is heroically healthy. nine0004

The etiopathogenesis of nausea may be associated with:

vascular pathologies;
hypertension;
diseases of the inner ear;
endocrine disorders;
brain and CNS pathologies;
head injuries and post-traumatic syndromes;
viral, bacterial and parasitic infections (often not associated with the gastrointestinal tract, but affecting the lungs, ENT organs, CNS).

Treatment

Nausea is not a disease, but a symptom of some disorder or disease. Therefore, if it is not associated with toxic poisoning, then you need to look for and eliminate the cause, and not fight the effect.