should i travel with morning sickness

How to Survive flying with morning sickness

By: Author Wandermust Mummy

Are you considering flying with morning sickness? I suffered terrible morning sickness when I was pregnant with both of my children and had to fly several times when suffering. This guide is full of top tips for traveling with morning sickness learnt from my dozens of flights I took while pregnant. 

Important Note : This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click through and make a purchase I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you!

Also before we get into our tips on surviving flying while morning sickness it is worth pointing out that you should always consult with a doctor before flying with morning sickness. While the American Pregnancy Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists both agree that for most traveling in pregnancy is safe, it is worth consulting with your health care provider first especially when suffering from morning sickness. 

Flying with Morning sickness

Table of Contents

How to survive flying with morning sickness tips

As I mentioned when I was pregnant with both my children I suffered with severe morning sickness.  And unfortunately for me my sickness lasted throughout my entire pregnancy.

When I was pregnant travel was a huge part of my job, and I love a babymoon so traveled to both Oman and Italy for a babymoon.

Overall I ended up traveling to 10 countries while pregnant. So these really are tried and tested tips that I utilised on my many flights. 

I really hope these tips help you like they helped me! So without further ado here they are:

Flying with morning sickness – traveling with morning sickness

Pick the best time to travel

If you are not having to fly for business and have the option of selecting a time of travel i.e. for a babymoon , there are certainly better times to pick. For most people, morning sickness is at its worst during the first trimester. 

While during the third trimester many airlines will prohibit travel. For instance in many cases, in a single and healthy pregnancy, pregnant women can fly until 36 weeks of pregnancy. While in the case of multiples this is reduced to 32 weeks, according to the NHS website. After this time, the chances of labor are dramatically increased. 

Therefore if you are looking to fly while pregnant say for a babymoon for instance, we think it is a good idea to do so during the second trimester. At this point many but of course not all pregnant people will be over the worst of their morning sickness and you hopefully won’t be needing these tips as much. 

Pack Correctly for your flight

It is always important to pack correctly for travel, especially in your carry-on luggage. However it is especially important for pregnancy travel. 

Some of our pregnancy travel essentials were:

Documents 

It is always important to keep your important travel documents with you in your hand luggage and digitally in case of a los. 

Important documents for all pregnant travelers  include:

• health / travel  insurance – that covers the length and destination of travel and of course all pregnancy complications,
• European health insurance card – for relevant travel to Europe,
• Fit to Fly letter – almost all commercial airlines require a fit to fly letter from your healthcare provider. This usually states your due date, week of pregnancy as well as declaration on pregnancy complications and fitness to fly. For international travel the requirements usually stipulate that you can not fly after 36 weeks while American Airlines have restrictions relating to the length of domestic flight in relation to due dates. Therefore it is really important to know the restrictions before booking your travel and know the documentation you need to go alongside it. 

If you have prescribed or over the counter medicines. you are taking be sure to pack this in your hand luggage and keep on the plane. This is best practice whenever you fly but especially important for pregnant travellers. 

And remember if you are traveling with prescription medication you should always have the prescription with you .

Compression Socks 

DVTs are a risk of long haul flights and air travel generally, but a way of reducing the risk of DVT , along with other measures, is to wear compression stockings. These compression socks improve blood flow and circulation while you are sat in a confined position on a long haul flight. 

I never traveled without my compression socks when I was pregnant. 

Bring Food and Drink

When I was pregnant, there were definitely smells that triggered my morning sickness. Now you can’t control what everyone is eating and drinking around you but you can control what you have. I always brought plenty of water and also my own snacks with me so I could ensure I had something to eat during the flight. 

Some women report that  ginger ale can help alleviate the symptoms of morning sickness and motion sickness generally according to the Royal college of obstetricians . I never found this worked for me. However if this works for you I would definitely bring some with you. 

Note : I would always try a method like this before travel in case it has the adverse effect. 

I also always carried some mints with me when I was traveling, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. There is no reason for this than, if I was sick I always liked to freshen my breath straight after by having a drink of water and a mint. 

Ziplock Bags 

Although airplanes provide sick bags in case of extreme turbulence, I always traveled with ziplock bags when I was pregnant. This was actually a tip from my flight attendant friend. Ziplock bags are actually easy to throw up into at your seat and then can be zipped shut, which will reduce the smell of vomit. 

I found this tip extremely useful so used this tip not only on long-haul flights but domestic flights and road trips too. 

I have, and when I was pregnant had long hair. One thing I always did for flights was to tie up my hair with hair ties. Without giving TMI it is useful to have something to pull your hair away from your face should you become sick in flight.

For a full babymoon packing list check out this post.

Fly Business or First if you can

Qatar Airways Business Class while pregnant

Ok, I know this is not realistically for everyone, especially if you are trying to do a babymoon on a budget for instance. However, I was lucky enough to travel business class when international travel was required for my work. 

It was certainly a more pleasant experience on a long flight than flying in economy when pregnant as you had more space and could even put your feet up or have a nap. 

Check out the seat configuration of the plane and choose your seat wisely. 

I believe that picking the perfect airline seat is one of my talents in life. And although picking a good seat is a good idea no matter when you are flying it is extremely important when flying pregnant. 

Personally I would never choose a window seat as my first choice seat for pregnancy travel. The reason is that it make it much harder to get to the bathroom if you need to use the toilet or are feeling sick. 

Instead I always recommend selecting an aisle seat instead for easy access to the toilet and aisle. 

Also think carefully about the part of the cabin you want to be in and want facilities you want to be away from (obviously this will look different on every plane). For instance I definitely did not want to be seated next to the toilets or even the galley when I was pregnant as I didn’t want to risk being near bad smells which could set my sickness off. 

And if for some reason you can’t get an aisle seat when checking in I recommend speaking to airport staff at check-in, cabin crew or fellow passengers and explain the situation to see if anyone is happy to help. Obviously this is not guaranteed but it is always worth asking. 

Stay Hydrated

traveling with morning sickness / morning sickness on a plane

All travellers should try and stay hydrated when they travel, but this is especially important during pregnancy. For this reason we recommend having a supply of water with you or a reusable water bottle. 

For more information on how to stay hydrated on planes check out this post. 

Try and Rest

It isn’t always easy on planes to get some rest however if you can it is a good idea to try and get some sleep. I never travel without my trusty travel pillow. 

But get up and move

Although rest is important for any pregnant woman, it is important on long flights to get up and move to help reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Many airlines will now provided recommend exercises in their in-flight magazines. 

So there you have it my top tips for surviving while flying with morning sickness.  I hope you have found these tips useful but if you have more questions be sure to pop them in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them. 

And while you are here why not look at our other pregnancy travel inspirations and guides: 

• Winter babymoon ideas
• Cruising While Pregnant
• Babymoon in Dubai Guide
• Zika Free Beach Destination
• Best US Babymoons
• Best UK Babymoons

And if you have any tips you have learnt while traveling with morning sickness we would love for you to share them in the comments below! 

How to survive flying with morning sickness

Monday 30th of July 2018

Im currently struggling with all day nausea. I am 8 weeks pregnant and due to fly on Tuesday, just a short flight to Spain. I am concerned though about feeling this way on the flight and dreading being stuffed on the over crowded shuttle bus. I’ve found your tips really helpful. While it’s comforting to know I am not alone, I was just wondering how you coped mentally with being so nauseous day in day out. I feel miserable and trapped in a never ending nightmare at the moment and feeling a bit of a failure already as many women just seem to say they were just the same and just dealt with it much better than me. Any advice? Xxx

Wandermust Mummy

Tuesday 31st of July 2018

Hi Kirsten, thanks for your message - sorry I only just saw this! It is so difficult when you think it will never end and facing days hugging a toilet bowl. I found that having little things to look forward to helps and know that this will be a distant memory once you are holding our precious bundle. And don’t feel like a failure it is proving that you are doing everything right! I once read that morning sickness was a sign of intelligent baby so cling to that :)! I would love to hear how you got on with your flight?

Monday 16th of April 2018

Omg. Thank you!!! I also fly regularly for work (twice a week) and have been doing so for over a year. Only the last couple of months have been complicated since I’ve been pregnant (now 23 weeks). I did not handle my nausea well on my flight this morning. I had a nose bleed last night, didn’t sleep at all and a 6am flight. All just a bad combination. I broke out in a sweat when I felt ill went to the back of the plane and was able to cool off with an ice pack, ginger ale and the overhead fan. It was my worst flight to date. The turbulence was just the icing on the cake. Anyways, I survived but stomach is still feeling queasy so I’m in my hotel instead of work. Will use these tips on my next flight. Thank you

Tuesday 17th of April 2018

I hope these tips help! I know exactly how you feel and remember this awful feeling well! Let us know how you get on with your next flight!

MELANIE EDJOURIAN

Sunday 5th of November 2017

To be honest I wouldn't fly when pregnant myself as I get severe sickness. Great tips though for those that just feel a bit nauseous.

Out Of Depth Dad

Saturday 4th of November 2017

Great post! I'm not a good flyer - at all! There are some really good tips on here that I'll certainly be trying out! Thanks for sharing!

Great tips here. I remember morning sickness well but I never travelled far because of it when I was pregnant.

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How Many Weeks Does Morning Sickness Last?

• Does It Indicate Sex?
• Not Getting It
• Severe Morning Sickness

Eight out of 10 pregnant people experience morning sickness, which is nausea with or without vomiting during pregnancy. It typically occurs around week six and goes away after the first trimester (between weeks 14 and 16). However, severe forms of morning sickness can last longer.

Despite its name, morning sickness doesn’t always mean you’ll have nausea in the morning. Some people experience mild nausea in the morning, while others have bouts of sickness or nausea throughout the day.  

This article reviews whether morning sickness reveals anything about the baby’s sex, the timeline of morning sickness, what not getting morning sickness means, remedies for it, and the symptoms of severe morning sickness. 

Phynart Studio / Getty Images

Does Morning Sickness Mean You’ll Have a Boy, or Girl?

Some people believe that morning sickness means you are carrying a female rather than a male. About 80% of pregnant people experience morning sickness. This makes it unlikely that mild to moderate nausea or vomiting indicates the sex of the baby. 

However, a small group of studies shows that those with a severe form of morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum , are more likely to give birth to females. Researchers note, however, that more, extensive research and larger population studies are needed to verify or refute this claim.  

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Hyperemesis gravidarum is a serious health condition that involves excessive nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It can lead to significant weight loss, dehydration, and nutrient deficiencies.  

Timeline of Morning Sickness 

Some pregnant people experience morning sickness as early as the fourth weeks of pregnancy, but it typically starts around week six and peaks around week nine. Most morning sickness disappears between weeks 14 and 16 (after the first trimester). About 15% to 20% have morning sickness that lasts into the second trimester, and with 5%, it lasts until delivery.

Does Morning Sickness Only Occur in the Morning?

For many, morning sickness occurs in the afternoon or evening. One study reports that 80%–95% of pregnant people report nausea with or without vomiting in the afternoon or throughout the day.  

What Does Not Getting Morning Sickness Mean? 

Not experiencing morning sickness does not necessarily mean something is wrong with your pregnancy. Some people are less prone to the symptom and may experience other signs or symptoms, such as fatigue or breast tenderness, more intensely.

But if morning sickness suddenly goes away before the second trimester (after already having it) or if you suddenly stop having other pregnancy symptoms, it could mean something is out of the norm with the pregnancy, and you should notify your healthcare provider.

Causes of Morning Sickness

While the exact cause of morning sickness is unknown, many experts believe it is a sign that your body is adjusting to hormone shifts. Examples of hormone levels that could affect morning sickness are human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, the hormone that pregnancy tests detect ), estrogen , progesterone, or thyroid hormones.  

Risk factors of morning sickness include:

• Having had morning sickness in the past
• Being prone to motion sickness
• Nausea and vomiting while taking estrogen (or birth control pills)
• A history of menstrual (period) migraines
• A family history (mother or sister) of morning sickness
• Previous gastrointestinal (GI) problems (e.g., ulcer, reflux, inflammation)
• Carrying multiples or a history of having multiples ( twins , triplets, etc.)

What Helps the Most With Morning Sickness? 

While some nausea and vomiting is unavoidable, here are a few tips and tricks to help ease morning sickness :

• Eat a cracker or two before getting out of bed. 
• Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.
• Snack on light, easily digestible food such as crackers, fruits, or plain toast (hunger can trigger nausea). 
• Brush your teeth after eating.
• Avoid lying down or quickly changing positions after eating.
• Sniff a lemon, mint, or orange (or use a blend and simmer them on the stove).
• Stick to a bland diet and avoid spicy, greasy, or fatty foods. 
• Drink small sips of fluids often, particularly cold, clear, and carbonated or sour drinks (e.g., water, lemonade, ginger, seltzer water, coconut water). 
• Get plenty of rest (fatigue can make you nauseous).
• Avoid stress when possible.
• Try acupressure wristbands (available in pharmacies, and you can use them all day).
• Eat or drink ginger (ginger tea, candies, and cookies). 
• If your prenatal vitamin upsets your stomach, try cutting it in half and taking half at night and half in the morning. Take it with a bit of food or crackers, not on an empty stomach. A different brand may also help. 

Avoiding Triggers

It also helps to avoid triggers that make you nauseous. Keeping a food diary or a log of when nausea occurs may help you identify triggers such as:

• Odors (e.g., chemicals, coffee, perfumes or fragrances, coffee, smoke)
• Certain food flavors or textures
• Greasy or spicy foods
• Hot weather or humidity
• Flickering lights
• Skipping meals
• Not sleeping
• Excess exercise

The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast)—or BRATT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, and tea)—may help ease stomach upset. It is low in fat and easy to digest. But if these foods aren’t appealing, try others. The goal is to find something you can tolerate and keep down. Ideas include:

• Milk, ice cream (or other frozen desserts), cottage cheese, and yogurt 
• Nuts, seeds, almond butter, and peanut butter
• Protein powders and shakes
• Cheese and crackers
• Gelatin (Jell-O)
• Broth and toast

Really Bad Morning Sickness

While it may not feel like the most glamorous part of pregnancy, morning sickness is not harmful as long as it doesn’t affect your activities of daily living and you’re still able to keep fluids and food down.

However, 3% of pregnant people experience a rare and severe morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum.

Symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum include:

• Extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting that goes beyond the first trimester or past week 16
• Unable to keep food and water down
• Abdominal or pelvic (between the hips) cramping
• Nausea and vomiting that affects your daily activities 
• Rapid weight loss 
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
• Severe fatigue or weakness
• Decreased urine output or dark-colored urine pee
• Fatigue and weakness
• A rapid heartbeat
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) or confusion (in extreme cases)
• Emotional distress or depression due to the severity of nausea or vomiting

Talk to your healthcare provider immediately if you’re experiencing symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum. Treatment may include hospitalization, intravenous fluids, or medications to stop the vomiting.

For most pregnant people, morning sickness is temporary as their body adjusts to the changes of pregnancy. It typically begins around week five or six and usually resolves during the second trimester, around weeks 14 through 16. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help ease symptoms, such as eating crackers before getting out of bed in the morning, eating light and bland food throughout the day, sipping cold drinks frequently, using acupressure wristbands, avoiding triggers, trying ginger, and more.

If your symptoms are severe enough to affect your daily living activities, this could indicate a severe form of morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum, a serious condition requiring medical attention. 

Dean E. Morning sickness . Nurs Stand . 2016;30(50):15. doi:10.7748/ns.30.50.15.s16

Smith JA, Fox KA, Clark SM. Patient education: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (Beyond the Basics) . In: Lockwood CJ, Barss VA, eds. UpToDate . UpToDate;2023.

Gadsby R, Ivanova D, Trevelyan E, Hutton JL, Johnson S. Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is not just ‘morning sickness’: Data from a prospective cohort study in the UK . British Journal of General Practice . 2020;70(697). doi:10.3399/bjgp20x710885

Liu C, Zhao G, Qiao D, Wang L, He Y, Zhao M, Fan Y, Jiang E. Emerging progress in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: Challenges and opportunities . Frontiers in Medicine . 2020; 8 . doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.809270

Young NR, La Rosa M, Mehr SA, Krasnow MM. Does greater morning sickness predict carrying a girl? Analysis of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy from retrospective report . Arch Gynecol Obstet . 2021;303(5):1161-1166. doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05839-1

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Morning sickness: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy .

MedlinePlus. Morning sickness .

American Pregnancy Association. Hyperemesis gravidarum .

By Brandi Jones, MSN-ED RN-BC Jones is a registered nurse and freelance health writer with more than two decades of healthcare experience.

• Patient Care & Health Information
• Diseases & Conditions
• Morning sickness

Morning sickness is feeling like throwing up, also called nausea, and throwing up, also called vomiting, that occurs during pregnancy. Despite its name, morning sickness can strike at any time of the day or night.

Many people have morning sickness, especially during the first three months of pregnancy. But some people have morning sickness all through pregnancy. Home remedies, such as snacking during the day and sipping ginger ale or taking medicine you can buy without a prescription, might help relieve nausea.

Rarely, morning sickness is so bad that it turns into hyperemesis gravidarum. This is when the nausea and vomiting cause serious fluid loss or loss of more than 5% of pre-pregnancy body weight. Hyperemesis gravidarum might require going to a hospital for treatment.

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Nausea, with or without vomiting, is common in pregnancy. Morning sickness is often brought on by smelling certain odors or eating certain foods.

Morning sickness is most common during the first three months of pregnancy. It typically starts before nine weeks. Symptoms usually improve by the middle or end of the second three months of pregnancy.

When to see a doctor

Contact your health care provider if:

• You produce no urine or only a little urine that's a dark color
• You can't keep liquids down
• You feel dizzy or faint when you stand up
• Your heart races

There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form.

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The cause of morning sickness is not known. Hormone changes might play a role. Rarely, a medical condition not related to pregnancy, such as thyroid or gallbladder disease, can cause serious nausea or vomiting.

Risk factors

Morning sickness can affect anyone who's pregnant, but it might be more likely for those who:

• Had nausea or vomiting from other causes before becoming pregnant, such as motion sickness or migraines
• Had morning sickness during a prior pregnancy
• Are pregnant with twins or other multiples

Hyperemesis gravidarum might be more likely for those who:

• Are pregnant with a girl
• Have a family history of hyperemesis gravidarum
• Have had hyperemesis gravidarum during an earlier pregnancy

Complications

Mild nausea and vomiting of pregnancy usually won't cause harm.

If left untreated, severe nausea and vomiting can cause a lack of bodily fluids, a condition known as dehydration. It also may lead to an imbalance in electrolytes — the salts in blood that control the balance of fluids in the body. Severe nausea and vomiting may result in less urine output. Research is mixed on whether hyperemesis gravidarum causes poor weight gain for the baby during pregnancy.

There's no sure way to prevent morning sickness. However, taking a daily vitamin supplement before and during pregnancy might help.

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Practice Bulletins — Obstetrics. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 189: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2018;131:e15.
• Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ126. Morning sickness: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy. Accessed Aug. 16, 2022.
• Smith JA, et al. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: Clinical findings and evaluation. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Aug. 16, 2022.
• AskMayoExpert. Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Mayo Clinic; 2021.
• Smith JA, et al. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: Treatment and outcome. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Aug. 16, 2022.
• Badowski S, et al. Cannabis use during pregnancy and postpartum. Canadian Family Physician. 2020; https://www-cfp-ca.mclibrary.idm.oclc.org/content/66/2/98. Accessed Aug. 16, 2022.

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When Does Morning Sickness Start?

About 70% of pregnant people experience nausea and vomiting during their pregnancy. Learn when morning sickness starts and how long these symptoms typically last.

What Causes Morning Sickness To Start?

When does morning sickness peak, when does morning sickness end, tips for dealing with morning sickness.

Morning sickness is one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms , affecting up to 70% of pregnant people in the first trimester. Some feel a slight queasiness that comes and goes, while others feel sick enough to vomit.

So when does morning sickness start and end? The timeline is different for everyone. But, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), symptoms generally appear before 9 weeks (starting as early as week 5 or 6) and go away by week 14. This probably seems like a long stretch of time—and it can be a long couple of months —but you're not without options for relief.

Keep reading for more about the morning sickness timeline, including when morning sickness usually starts and ends and how to manage the queasiness.

While the morning sickness timeline isn't set in stone, most pregnant people start to feel queasy about halfway through the first trimester , usually by week nine (though it can start much earlier). "Generally, it's not going to start after week 14," says Michele Hakakha, MD, FACOG, an OB-GYN in Beverly Hills and author of Expecting 411 .

The exception: Late in pregnancy, your baby may push on your stomach and intestines, causing nausea. Many of the same strategies you use for standard morning sickness can also help with this late-pregnancy nausea.

Some people don't experience morning sickness at all during pregnancy, and that's perfectly normal, too. You can absolutely have a healthy pregnancy without the nausea and vomiting.

Morning Sickness Symptoms

Morning sickness varies between pregnant people, but here are some common symptoms:

• Upset stomach
• Feelings of seasickness or car sickness
• Loss of appetite
• Dry heaving
• Queasiness from certain foods or smells

Scientists still don't fully understand what causes morning sickness or why some pregnant people will only feel a bit queasy while others will vomit. The leading theory is that the pregnancy hormone hCG , as well as estrogen, begin to rise in the body and trigger a cascade of responses, including nausea and vomiting. Researchers have also discovered another potential hormone to blame: GDF15 .

Some researchers think that morning sickness may be a good sign , perhaps protecting a growing fetus by purging the gestational parent's body of anything potentially toxic. This may explain certain food aversions or sensitivities to smells that previously didn't bother you.

Another important thing to note: Despite common misconceptions, morning sickness doesn't only happen in the morning. You might feel queasy any time of day. Factors like smells, certain foods, heat, stress, and more might also trigger morning sickness.

Again, the timeline for morning sickness differs for everyone. However, symptoms usually peak around week nine of pregnancy. The timeline makes sense, considering hCG levels are the highest around this time. Along those lines, people with higher hCG levels (like those expecting multiples ) might be more likely to experience severe morning sickness.

Most people start feeling better by the end of the first trimester with most morning sickness symptoms resolving by around week 14. Only a small percentage experience nausea and vomiting all pregnancy long (less than 3% of people have hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) , a very severe form of morning sickness).

If your morning sickness isn't letting up, let a health care provider know. HG can be a debilitating condition that may require hospitalization for IV fluids. Some of the symptoms of HG include:

• Nausea with extreme vomiting
• Weight loss
• Dehydration and disruption of electrolytes
• Inability to retain food or drink
• Nausea that does not ease

Also, alert a health care provider if morning sickness stops abruptly during the first trimester. This doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong with your pregnancy, but it's something to monitor. For some, nausea is a symptom that they feel every day, and for others, the nausea is intermittent.

When Morning Sickness Starts and Ends

For many pregnant people, morning sickness symptoms will start around week 6 of gestation, peaking around week 9. Morning sickness often resolves by 10 to 14 weeks but may continue until weeks 16 to 20—or even more rarely, until the end of pregnancy.

Now that you know when morning sickness starts and ends, you're probably wondering how to manage the less-than-pleasant symptoms. You can start by trying at-home remedies for morning sickness , such as the following:

• Avoiding foods, drinks, and odors that make you feel queasy
• Eating several smaller meals throughout the day rather than three large meals
• Trying nausea-reducing foods , like saltine crackers, ginger, or sour candies
• Staying hydrated
• Staying upright (not lying down) immediately after eating
• Trying acupressure or acupuncture, which some people claim helps their nausea

Talk to a health care provider if at-home remedies don't adequately manage your morning sickness symptoms. Over-the-counter and prescription nausea medicines for morning sickness may help but should be taken under the guidance of a health care provider.

Emerging progress in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: Challenges and opportunities .  Front Med (Lausanne) . 2022.

Morning sickness: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy . American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . 2023.

Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy .  BMJ Clin Evid . 2014.

GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy . Nature.  2023.

Association of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy with pregnancy loss: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial .  JAMA Intern Med . 2016.

Patient education: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (Beyond the Basics) . UpToDate . 2023.

Reference ranges and determinants of total hCG levels during pregnancy: the Generation R Study .  Eur J Epidemiol . 2015.

Hyperemesis gravidarum: A review of recent literature .  Pharmacology . 2017.

Related Articles

Morning Sickness: Timing, Intensity, and Management

As many expectant mothers can attest, morning sickness is a common companion during pregnancy. Often characterized by nausea and vomiting, it's a frequent topic of concern and curiosity, especially when it comes to duration, intensity, and variability throughout the stages of your pregnancy.

For some women, morning sickness can become unbearable – one study even compared its intensity to that of chemotherapy patients. So, as a pregnant woman, it’s important that you know why your nausea and vomiting are happening, when symptoms will stop, and how to manage them.

First, you should know that morning sickness is very normal, and it’s unlikely to put your baby at risk (only about 3% of cases turn into hyperemesis gravidarum , which is when too much vomiting interferes with the pregnancy). If you have concerns about the intensity or duration of nausea and/or vomiting during pregnancy, don’t hesitate to ask your provider for help.

All-Day Discomfort: Morning Sickness Can Happen at Any Time

Despite its name, morning sickness isn't confined to the morning. Many women experience symptoms throughout the day and even at night, and it’s normal to have it some days and not others. In fact, in medical terms, morning sickness is referred to as nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, or NVP . This misconception can often lead to under-preparedness for nighttime discomfort.

Morning Sickness Management Strategies

There are quite a few coping strategies you can try out to decrease your nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The easiest ways involve avoiding trigger foods and smells, eating smaller and more frequent meals, staying hydrated, and getting fresh air. Of course, if your symptoms are bad enough, those things might not cut it.

Antiemetic (or anti-nausea) medications like pyridoxine , doxylamine , and vitamin B6 are some over-the-counter options that are both safe for your baby and easy to get. Ginger and peppermint tea, which we’ll explore below, have also proven to be effective among many women.

Acupressure has also been shown to be effective in treating nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. You can either wear an acupressure wristband or use your other hand to apply pressure to the P6 area of your inner forearm. This point is in the middle of the two large tendons below your palm, about three fingers down.

What Triggers Should I Avoid to Prevent Morning Sickness?

Identifying trigger foods , such as spicy or fatty meals, and implementing a diet with more settling options like ginger, bread, pasta, or other bland foods, can help to reduce the severity and frequency of nausea.

Resources like Guava can help track down what foods are triggering for you. You can log your symptoms and severity, the food you eat, and the activities you do throughout the day. It’ll then find correlations between symptoms and triggers to help you understand and prevent your morning sickness.

Besides the food you eat, certain smells can trigger intense nausea and vomiting for pregnant women. One study even suggests that smells provoke nausea and vomiting more than actual tastes. A few common trigger smells are:

• Sesame oils

Does Aromatherapy Work for Morning Sickness?

Aromatherapy (or the use of essential oils and natural scents) is a popular way to take advantage of your smell to subdue nausea and vomiting symptoms during pregnancy. Whereas some smells might make morning sickness worse, others are tolerated well and might even help, especially citrus, peppermint, and ginger.

A randomized clinical trial found that lemon inhalation aromatherapy (lemon essential oil in a diffuser, or just smelling fresh lemons) reduced symptoms of nausea and vomiting in about one in four women involved in the study. Other research suggests that peppermint can be used generally for anti-nausea purposes, whereas ginger works especially well for nausea caused by pregnancy.

The reason aromatherapy works depends on the aroma you’re using – ginger, for example, works by stimulating your stomach muscles to help with digestion and helping to kill off harmful bacteria. Peppermint oil, on the other hand, relaxes the stomach muscles and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Why Do I Get Morning Sickness?

Genetics, hormones, the baby's gender , and certain foods like those listed above all play significant roles in causing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Women with additional health conditions or women carrying baby girls or multiples may experience more pronounced symptoms

Genetics: There’s lots of data showing that morning sickness is hereditary. One study revealed that daughters of mothers with hyperemesis gravidarum or HG , (the severe form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy) are three times more likely to experience it themselves, while sisters of HG patients are seventeen times more likely to have it.

Hormones: GDF15 , which stands for growth/differentiation factor 15, is a hormone mainly secreted by the placenta during pregnancy. Research has shown higher concentrations of GDF15 in women who used more anti-nausea meds during pregnancy and who reported more nausea and vomiting into their second trimester.

You may also have heard of hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin since it happens to be what they look for in pregnancy tests. It’s secreted in high amounts by the placenta in the early weeks of pregnancy, and peaks in hCG are associated with peaks in NVP symptoms in weeks 12 and 14 of pregnancy.

Some evidence of increased levels of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 caused by the high metabolic state required by pregnancy is associated with higher rates of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The hormones produced by the thyroid gland are involved in tons of bodily processes, however, so more research is needed to understand their precise role in NVP.

Besides making you sick to your stomach, these hormones are incredibly important for the development of your baby, and they’re not the only factors involved. There’s still much research to be done to fully understand the causes and potential treatments for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Morning Sickness and Your Baby’s Gender: Although you probably won’t know your baby’s gender until the mid-pregnancy ultrasound between weeks 18 and 20, there is some evidence that morning sickness is associated with having a girl . Scientists think this has to do with higher levels of hCG produced during female pregnancy, thus leading to more nausea and vomiting.

Morning Sickness and Multiples Although there hasn’t been extensive research on the subject, this 2019 study found that there’s a positive correlation between having multiples and experiencing more nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. This is likely due to increased levels of hCG that come with having multiple fetuses.

Why Do I Get Morning Sickness at Night?

You might find that your morning sickness is worse at night , which can greatly affect your sleep quality and stress levels during pregnancy. It can happen throughout the day and tends to be worse in the morning. So, nighttime nausea and vomiting are expected, especially if you’ve just eaten a large meal like dinner or you’ve been around lots of pungent smells.

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are also closely linked to daily hormonal fluctuations and immune responses . These fluctuations often happen before bedtime and cause additional spikes in morning sickness symptoms.

When Will Morning Sickness End?

The timeline for morning sickness usually begins between 4 and 6 weeks, peaks in intensity between weeks 7 and 12, and fades away by the end of weeks 10 and 16. There’s a chance morning sickness will return in the third trimester (weeks 28-31), but evidence suggests that it only occurs in up to 10% of women .

Early Weeks: The Onset

Morning sickness typically begins around the 4th to 6th week of pregnancy. At this stage, hormonal changes are in full swing, and the body is adjusting to the developing fetus. Symptoms often start mild and gradually intensify. By the 7th or 12th week , many women report a peak in severity.

Mid-Pregnancy: A Lull for Some

As you cross into the second trimester, or somewhere around weeks 12-16 , morning sickness tends to decrease or suddenly stops. Clinical evidence shows us that half of women report that their symptoms resolved by week 14, and 9 out of 10 reported that they were gone by week 22. By the second trimester, the body starts to adapt, and hormonal fluctuations stabilize, offering relief. However, every pregnancy is unique, and some might continue to experience nausea, with triggers varying widely among individuals.

The Third Trimester: A Surprising Return?

Contrary to popular belief, morning sickness can sometimes return in the 3rd trimester due to the growing size of the uterus, which puts pressure on the stomach. Although less common, it's a reality for some and should not be overlooked. Nighttime symptoms might also be more pronounced during this stage.

When Should I Go to the Doctor Because of Morning Sickness?

Recognizing severe or highly frequent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, also known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) , is crucial. HG affects 1-3% of women and requires careful attention. A couple of things to ask your doctor about are:

• Dehydration or light-headedness
• Nausea and vomiting that lasts longer than the 16-20 week mark
• Weight loss because of inability to eat

Too much weight loss during pregnancy can result in a miscarriage, so don’t hesitate to seek out help if you’re concerned about the severity of your morning sickness.

Understanding the typical timeline and variability of morning sickness provides a framework, but each pregnancy is unique. The most important thing is to listen to your body and seek support when needed, whether that be through dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments, or medical consultation. Remember, what works for one may not work for another, and managing morning sickness often requires a personalized approach.

If you’re looking for a way to keep track of your pregnancy, the Guava Baby Plan is a great place to start. You can follow along with your baby’s growth and development, and get helpful tips that are relevant to how far along you are. Guava will also keep track of upcoming appointments, and provide a place to log symptoms and updates that you can share with your provider.

How to tell when you’re too sick to fly

Flu and cold seasons are officially upon us — complicating the worsening coronavirus pandemic.

In the past, you may have shrugged off mild symptoms like a sniffly nose or a tickle in your throat. But now, you can't board an airplane without certifying you don't have any symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, a cough and more.

Beyond what the airlines may specify, travelers should watch for a laundry list of symptoms specified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which can appear between two and 14 days after exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting

Travelers need to be extremely mindful about even the most innocuous ailments now, as they could be an indication of COVID-19. But, even in normal times — or if the coronavirus isn't detected by a COVID-19 test — it's important to prioritize your health and the health of others. Here's why you should never board a flight if you're feeling sick.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

You have a fever

A good rule of thumb is to never fly when you have a fever, according to New York-based internist Dr. Frank Contacessa.

In addition to indicating a possible COVID-19 infection, a fever could also present itself if you have the flu .

"Having a fever, in general, will accelerate fluid loss from your body," Dr. Contacessa told TPG in 2019. "The very low humidity of the cabin air will dehydrate you even faster. Dehydration makes you feel even worse, increasing weakness, headaches, lightheadedness, etc."

You're vomiting

Sure, there might be vomit bags in the seatback pocket. But if you're throwing up before you get to the airport, it's a clear indication you need to delay your travels.

"If you have a fever over 100.4 degrees or are experiencing vomiting, there's a really good chance that you're contagious," Dr. Nate Favini, medical lead at Forward (a membership-based preventive care clinic), told TPG in 2019.

Related: It's flu season — here's how to avoid getting sick on a plane

You're short of breath

"The pressurized cabin air has less oxygen, which can make you feel short of breath if your airways are already inflamed from an infection," said Dr. Contacessa.

Dr. Favini added, "Flying is stressful on your body and your immune system in particular, so it can reduce your ability to fight off an infection. The air onboard is incredibly dry, and even healthy people end up extremely dehydrated at the end of their flight. You may end up being sicker or sick for longer because of flying while ill."

You could still be contagious

Back in 2019, before the coronavirus was a known threat, Dr. Favini told TPG that travelers experiencing any flu-like symptoms — including fever, cough, runny nose, congestion, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea — are still contagious.

Even if it's not the coronavirus making you ill, you can still infect someone up to 6 feet away .

Related: How to boost your immune system so you don't get sick while traveling

You have ear pain

Something as minor as ear pain might also be reason enough to avoid flying. You know how your ears sometimes pop during taking off or landing? Well, if you have ear pain and pressure, then that brief moment of discomfort can become severe.

"The changes in pressure during the flight can cause your eardrum to burst if you have an ear infection and it's not properly treated before you take off," said Dr. Favini.

Your heart is racing

Even if you don't have the sniffles or more obvious symptoms of being sick , there is one tell-tale warning sign that you absolutely shouldn't fly. If you do, you could experience a serious medical emergency.

"If you're experiencing chest pain or a racing heartbeat, especially if this is new or severe, don't get on your flight," said Dr. Favini. "This can be a sign of a life-threatening medical condition, and even if the pilot does land your flight, it might not be fast enough for you to get the help you need. The same goes for shortness of breath."

Related: The best travel insurance policies and providers

When you can fly again

OK, let's say you've determined you're too sick to fly. When can you reschedule your trip?

"If you do change your plans and postpone your trip, you should wait until you have been without a fever for at least 24 to 48 hours," said Dr. Contacessa back in 2019.

And, of course, if you've been diagnosed with COVID-19, most airlines will ask you to delay travel for at least 14 days after testing positive. Some will require even a longer period of time since your diagnosis.

The CDC says you can be around others 10 days after symptoms first appear and 24 hours without a fever, and any other symptoms have improved.

Additional reporting by Melanie Lieberman.

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How to Avoid Motion Sickness on Airplanes

Where to sit, what to eat, and common mistakes to avoid.

Margot Cavin/Travel + Leisure

For some, a flight is nothing more than being confined to one seat for an extended period of time. For others, that nightmare is only exemplified by the fact that they're bound to feel nauseous and — if the motion sickness gets the best of them — may even actually throw up when the turbulence gets bad enough.

Air sickness is a common plague for many travelers, but luckily there are some things you can do to better equip yourself against this annoying side effect.

The first thing in battling air sickness is knowing what it is. This issue occurs when your inner ear detects movement that your eyes aren't registering. This works in reverse, as well — if your eyes catch movement that your body doesn't detect, say when you're watching a particularly bumpy movie scene, you can become motion sick without even moving.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center , this imbalance can cause a number of symptoms: cold sweats, pale skin, headaches, dizziness, nausea, increased salivation, fatigue, and vomiting. A 2015 study pulling data from genetics group 23andme in the Oxford Academic on Human Molecular Genetics shared that roughly one in three people suffer from car sickness, the causes of which are incredibly similar to air sickness.

It's also been found that motion sickness is aggravated by anxiety and stress, meaning it doesn't necessarily go away after your flight. But there are a few easy ways to avoid these side effects, or at least help kick them to the curb after they've already started.

Skip the Reading Session

While doctors recommend zoning in on a stable scene or horizon line when you're experiencing motion sickness, reading isn't going to improve your situation at all. What you're doing is adding even more movement that could further mess with your inner equilibrium.

Pick Your Airplane Seat Carefully

The seats closer to the front of the airplane and directly on the plane wings are a little more stable than others, cutting down on the movement of your body during the flights. Just like on a bus, the further back you go, the bumpier it is.

Watch What You Eat Before Your Flight

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association recommends eating a light meal the night before and day of flying. Avoid taking in a lot of calories, and skip salty foods. Salty foods only aggravate dehydration, which also happens on flights where the air is drier (pro tip: drink lots of water). Also skip any greasy foods that would regularly upset your stomach.

Use the Air Vents to Your Advantage

Direct airflow can make a world of difference when you're experiencing motion sickness symptoms in a confined space, such as an airplane seat. Look to the air vent above your seat to provide a bit of relief in times of nausea and distress.

Margot Cavin/Travel + Leisure

Acupressure

Way back in 1995, there was a study published in the Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine journal sharing that performing acupressure on yourself can lessen your motion sickness. So, what is acupressure? The act of stimulating various pressure points on your body to better circulate the flow of energy throughout the body.

For motion sickness, try using your thumb to push into your wrist about two inches down from the crease of your wrist. Hold it down for a few minutes with varying pressures to find out what works best for you.

Give 'Verbal Placebos' a Try

A study in the Journal of Applied Psychology shared the effects of telling naval cadets in the Israel Defense Forces that they were unlikely to have seasickness and that if they did, it was unlikely to affect their work performance at all. At the end of the five-day experiment, there was less reported seasickness.

What you can do: Have someone close to you reassure you that you won't suffer from motion sickness and start training yourself to worry less about it. Pick a mantra, something like "I can control my motion sickness," to recite during particularly trying moments mid-flight.

Opt for Ginger Ale

Ginger is great for your digestive system. Once that beverage cart hits the cabin, ask for a can of ginger ale to sip. Avoid taking large gulps — you don't want any air bubbles to add to your stomach discomfort. Hard ginger candies can also do wonders for an upset stomach.

Pack Some Dramamine

If all else fails, they do make medication to help curb motion sickness. Be careful, though: Some of these medications can cause severe drowsiness. But hey, sleeping through your flight is a great alternative to spending it in the cramped airplane bathroom.

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Morning Sickness and Nausea During Pregnancy

What is morning sickness, read this next, morning sickness symptoms, morning sickness causes and risk factors, morning sickness vs. hyperemesis gravidarum, how to prevent or relieve morning sickness.

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Can morning sickness hurt my baby, is it bad if i have no morning sickness.

If you're among those who have little or no morning sickness, consider yourself not just pregnant, but lucky! Remember, too, that having no morning sickness at 6 weeks pregnant may only be temporary: Nausea and vomiting can kick in at any time during the second or third month of pregnancy.

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What Is Morning Sickness?

Wendy Wisner is freelance journalist and international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). She has written about all things pregnancy, maternal/child health, parenting, and general health and wellness.

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Morning sickness refers to the nausea and vomiting that is common during pregnancy. Up to 70% of people who are pregnant experience morning sickness, and it can range from mild to severe. Although it’s called morning sickness, symptoms can occur any time of day. Morning sickness is thought to be caused by the changing hormones of pregnancy.

Symptoms usually begin a few weeks into pregnancy and resolve for most people in the second trimester. Most of the time, morning sickness isn’t dangerous, but it’s important to watch for signs of dehydration . Dietary and lifestyle changes can help prevent and treat morning sickness; severe cases may require medication or intravenous (IV) fluids.

Types of Morning Sickness

Some pregnant people experience nausea for a few hours each day and might occasionally vomit . Others may feel extreme nausea and find themselves vomiting multiple times a day. That being said, there are two basic categories of morning sickness: normal morning sickness and severe morning sickness, the latter of which is called hyperemesis gravidarum.

Normal Morning Sickness

Most pregnant people experience nausea during early pregnancy. While some experience symptoms only at certain times of day (morning only, or evening only, for example), many experience persistent nausea throughout the day in the early weeks of pregnancy. Still, for most people, these symptoms are manageable. And even when vomiting occurs, it doesn’t lead to severe weight loss or dehydration. Mild to moderate nausea during pregnancy is considered normal morning sickness.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Hyperemesis gravidarum is the term to describe severe morning sickness. It is characterized by serious nausea and frequent vomiting. People with this condition may vomit several times a day and have trouble keeping food and drinks down. This may lead to severe weight loss and dehydration .

This condition requires medical attention and often requires hospitalization, with IV fluids and nutrient replacement. Diagnosis usually occurs when a person has lost 5% of their pre-pregnancy weight. Hyperemesis gravidarum is far less common than normal morning sickness, affecting about 0.3-3% of pregnant people.

Morning Sickness Symptoms

The main symptoms of morning sickness are nausea and vomiting. The symptoms may be mild or moderate. Many people report having a seasick-type feeling and are more likely to experience nausea in hot or stuffy rooms. While some people vomit, others will just gag and retch.

Besides nausea and vomiting, symptoms may include feeling repulsed by certain foods and certain food smells. Some people experience a bitter or sour taste in their mouth, which can make eating less appealing and make you feel queasy.

Morning sickness can occur any time of day. Some people experience the symptoms only a few hours a day, and some experience them all day. Most people start experiencing symptoms a few weeks into pregnancy, with symptoms peaking at about nine weeks pregnant.

What Causes Morning Sickness?

Experts don’t know for sure what causes morning sickness. The best known hypothesis is that changing levels of hormones during pregnancy cause feelings of nausea. For example, levels of estrogen and progesterone rise in pregnancy. Additionally, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) spikes in early pregnancy, when morning sickness is most common. Experiencing blood sugar changes, including low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) , may also contribute to nausea during pregnancy.

Risk Factors

There are certain people who may have an increased risk of developing morning sickness, including:

• People who had morning sickness with a previous pregnancy
• People who have a mother or sister who had morning sickness
• People who previously felt ill when taking hormonal medications, such as birth control pills
• People with a history of gastrointestinal upsets, like reflux
• People prone to motion sickness
• People who are carrying twins or other multiples

How Is Morning Sickness Diagnosed?

Morning sickness is so common that it rarely requires a diagnosis from a provider. That said, if you have questions about your symptoms of nausea or vomiting, don’t hesitate to reach out to your medical provider. Most providers diagnose you based on your reported symptoms and no further tests are needed.

To be diagnosed with severe morning sickness, or hyperemesis gravidarum, you would need to have lost 5% or more of your pre-pregnancy body weight and have other symptoms, such as signs of dehydration. Symptoms of severe dehydration may include producing dark-colored urine, feeling dizzy (especially when standing up), having a racing heartbeat , and feeling disoriented.

Treatments for Morning Sickness

Mild-to-moderate cases of morning sickness can be treated with dietary and lifestyle changes. More serious cases may require medications, hospitalization, and IV fluid and nutritional replacement.

Lifestyle Changes

Making tweaks to your environment can help with morning sickness. Avoid strong smells; loud noises; and stuffy, hot rooms. You can also use aromatherapy with scents like lemon and mint, which may be soothing.

Dietary Changes

Being selective about what you eat while you’re dealing with morning sickness can help. For example:

• Avoid spicy or deep-fried foods.
• Stick to bland, easy-to-digest foods.
• Try to eat protein with most meals.
• Eat something bland like crackers or dry toast before you get out of bed in the morning.

You'll also want to avoid skipping meals, as hunger can increase nausea. And try eating smaller, more frequent meals so you don’t overload your stomach.

Supplements

Certain supplements may soothe morning sickness. For instance, any type of supplement containing ginger may be helpful for morning sickness. Consider ginger candies, capsules, teas, or ginger ale. Vitamin B6 is also known to help with nausea and vomiting and is considered safe to take during pregnancy.

Medications

Certain over-the-counter and prescribed medications can be helpful for more serious bouts of nausea and vomiting. Always check with your provider before trying any medication.

If a vitamin B6 supplement did not work on its own, a healthcare provider may recommend you take doxylamine which is often a component of sleep aids, like Unisom, that can help with nausea. There is also a prescription drug available that combines vitamin B6 and doxylamine. They might also have you take doxylamine on its own.

They might also prescribe an antiemetic drug, which is a medication that prevents vomiting. A common examples include Zofran (ondansetron). However, research on antiemetics' safety in pregnancy is mixed.

Hospital Care

Pregnant people with hyperemesis gravidarum may require hospitalization. At the hospital, you will likely be given an IV to replace lost fluids and nutrition. Your vital signs will be monitored, and you will also likely be given medication to stop vomiting.

How to Prevent Morning Sickness

Morning sickness usually can’t be completely prevented, but it can be managed. It can be helpful to keep in mind that morning sickness usually does end, as most cases resolve sometime in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Avoiding triggers may prevent symptoms from occurring or at least greatly reduce them. This may involve:

• Making sure not to skip meals
• Eating smaller, more frequent meals
• Trying to get enough sleep
• Keeping your environment cool and ventilated
• Avoiding strong or triggering smells
• Reducing noise
• Staying away from flickering lights or movements that may cause motion sickness
• Avoiding brushing your teeth before a meal, as toothbrushing can make people with morning sickness gag
• Staying upright after eating
• Taking prenatal vitamins at the end of the day or asking your provider about alternative brands of prenatal vitamins

People who experience mild-to-moderate nausea and vomiting during pregnancy usually don’t experience complications, and their growing babies aren’t negatively affected. Unless you went into pregnancy significantly underweight, it’s OK if you don’t gain much weight in early pregnancy because of morning sickness. You will gain weight normally as the pregnancy progresses and your appetite returns.

People who have hyperemesis gravidarum are at risk for complications if their condition isn’t treated. These complications include:

• Dehydration
• Malnutrition
• Severe weight loss that may affect your baby’s birth weight, causing low birth weight
• Severe weight loss that can cause liver and thyroid issues

A Quick Review

Morning sickness is a condition that affects a majority of pregnant people. People with it can experience nausea or vomiting any time throughout the day. Most cases of morning sickness occur in the first trimester and into the beginning of the second trimester. While uncommon, morning sickness can be severe and lead to significant weight loss and dehydration. However, most cases of morning sickness are mild or moderate and cause no complications.

Making tweaks to what and how you eat can help relieve morning sickness. You should contact your medical provider if you need additional support, such as medications and supplement recommendations. If you have any signs of severe dehydration, such as feeling dizzy or experiencing a racing heartbeat, contact your provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Morning sickness typically begins at five or six weeks into the pregnancy, but it can begin earlier or later for some people.

For most people, symptoms improve around the second trimester, or at 16 to 18 weeks. Still, 15-20% of pregnant people will continue to experience symptoms of morning sickness through the third trimester. For 5% of people, symptoms won’t resolve until their baby is born.

Skipping meals, eating spicy or deep-fried foods, lying down right after eating, smelling strong odors, being in stuffy rooms, and experiencing motion sickness can all make morning sickness worse.

Eating bland and easy-to-digest foods can make morning sickness better. Eating smaller meals at a more frequent rate can also help. Consuming foods or supplements made with ginger can help too.

Pascual ZN, Langaker MD. Physiology, Pregnancy . In: StatPearls . StatPearls Publishing; 2023.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy .

Jennings LK, Mahdy H. Hyperemesis Gravidarum . In: StatPearls . StatPearls Publishing; 2022.

Smith JA, Fox KA, Clark SM. Patient education: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (Beyond the Basics) . In: Lockwood CJ, Barrs VA, eds. UpToDate . UpToDate; 2023.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. What causes morning sickness (nausea and vomiting during pregnancy)?

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What is morning sickness?

Morning sickness refers to the nausea and vomiting that some people have when they become pregnant. Morning sickness is very common in early pregnancy. It affects more than half of all pregnant people. A severe case of morning sickness is known as hyperemesis gravidarum.

How long will morning sickness last?

Morning sickness tends to go away later in pregnancy. It’s almost always gone by the second trimester (after 13 weeks, or during the fourth month). However, every person is different, and every pregnancy is different. So, there isn’t a set time that morning sickness may stop.

Will morning sickness hurt my baby?

Morning sickness can only become a problem for your baby if you can’t keep down any foods or fluids. It also may pose a problem if you begin to lose a lot of weight. You should call your doctor if you:

• Have lost more than 2 pounds
• Vomit blood (which can appear bright red or black)
• Have vomited more than 4 times in 1 day
• Have not been able to keep fluids down for more than 1 day

Symptoms of morning sickness are nausea and vomiting. These symptoms can occur before or after eating. They can be triggered by smells, movement from those around you, and sometimes by the sight of food.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s called morning sickness. Nausea can strike at any time of day or last throughout the day. It is more common in the morning. But morning sickness can occur even at night.

What causes morning sickness?

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes morning sickness, but it likely is caused by the sudden increase in hormones during pregnancy.

How is morning sickness diagnosed?

You don’t usually need a doctor to tell you that you have morning sickness. If you are several weeks pregnant and feeling nauseated, you probably have morning sickness.

Can morning sickness be prevented or avoided?

There is no proven method for preventing morning sickness. There are ways to lessen the symptoms of morning sickness. These include adjusting when you eat and what you eat. You also may want to evaluate your prenatal vitamin. The iron in your vitamin could be adding to your nausea.

Other tips include:

• Keep your mornings slow and calm.
• Avoid poorly ventilated spaces to eliminate the triggers of smells. This includes avoiding smoking (yourself and others).
• Reduce your stress and get as much sleep as you can.

Treatment usually isn’t necessary for morning sickness. But there are some things you can do to help feel better.

Tips to relieve morning sickness:

• Eat small meals throughout the day so that you’re never too full or too hungry.
• Avoid rich, spicy, greasy or fatty foods.
• Avoid foods with smells that bother you or make you nauseated.
• Eat more carbohydrates (plain baked potato, white rice, or dry toast).
• Eat bland foods when you feel nauseated (such as saltine crackers, gelatin desserts such as Jell-O, popsicles, chicken broth, ginger ale, and pretzels).
• The iron in prenatal vitamins can bother some women. If you think your morning sickness is related to your vitamins, talk with your doctor and they may change your vitamins.
• Before getting out of bed in the morning, eat a few saltine crackers to calm your stomach.
• Wearing “acupressure” wrist bands may help some women who have morning sickness. These are sometimes used by passengers on boats to prevent sea sickness. You can buy the bands at drugstores, boating stores, or travel agencies.

If these tips don’t provide some relief from morning sickness, talk to your doctor. Keep in mind that morning sickness does not mean your baby is sick.

Do not take any medicines for morning sickness without talking to your doctor first. They may be able to prescribe the medicine Diclegis, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating morning sickness. In severe cases, your doctor may admit you to the hospital for IV fluids and monitoring.

Living with morning sickness

Some people who have morning sickness are only nauseated. Other people experience nausea and vomiting as a part of morning sickness. Some people have mild symptoms. Other people have the most severe form of morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum.

No matter what type of morning sickness you have, staying nourished and hydrated is important. Try to continue to eat, even if you vomit afterward. Sometimes keeping your stomach full helps combat feelings of nausea.

Questions to ask your doctor

• I’m pregnant and I feel ill all the time. Is this normal?
• What can I do to help relieve my symptoms?
• What would be an indication that my morning sickness is putting my baby at risk?
• My morning sickness is severe. Do I need medicine?
• What are the risks and benefits of taking this medicine?
• I’m worried that my baby isn’t getting enough nutrients. Do I need a different prenatal vitamin? Should I make changes to my diet?

March of Dimes: Morning sickness

National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus: Morning Sickness

Office on Women’s Health: Pregnancy complications

Last Updated: June 8, 2023

This article was contributed by: familydoctor.org editorial staff

Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians

This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.

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Vomiting and morning sickness

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, often known as morning sickness, is very common in early pregnancy.

It can affect you at any time of the day or night or you may feel sick all day long.

Morning sickness is unpleasant, and can significantly affect your day-to-day life. But it usually clears up by weeks 16 to 20 of your pregnancy and does not put your baby at any increased risk.

There is a chance of developing a severe form of pregnancy sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum . This can be serious, and there's a chance you may not get enough fluids in your body ( dehydration ) or not get enough nutrients from your diet ( malnutrition ). You may need specialist treatment, sometimes in hospital.

Sometimes urinary tract infections (UTIs) can also cause nausea and vomiting. A UTI usually affects the bladder, but can spread to the kidneys.

Non-urgent advice: Call your midwife, GP or 111 if:

you're vomiting and:

• have very dark-coloured urine or have not had a pee in more than 8 hours
• are unable to keep food or fluids down for 24 hours
• feel very weak, dizzy or faint when standing up
• have tummy (abdominal) pain
• have a high temperature
• vomit blood
• have lost weight

Treatments for morning sickness

Unfortunately, there's no hard and fast treatment that will work for everyone’s morning sickness. Every pregnancy will be different.

But there are some changes you can make to your diet and daily life to try to ease the symptoms.

If these do not work for you or you're having more severe symptoms, your doctor or midwife might recommend medicine.

Things you can try yourself

If your morning sickness is not too bad, your GP or midwife will initially recommend you try some lifestyle changes:

• get plenty of rest (tiredness can make nausea worse)
• avoid foods or smells that make you feel sick
• eat something like dry toast or a plain biscuit in the morning
• eat small, frequent meals of plain foods that are high in carbohydrate and low in fat (such as bread, rice, crackers and pasta)
• eat cold foods rather than hot ones if the smell of hot meals makes you feel sick
• drink plenty of fluids, such as water (sipping them little and often may help prevent vomiting)
• eat foods or drinks containing ginger – there's some evidence ginger may help reduce nausea and vomiting (check with your pharmacist before taking ginger supplements during pregnancy)
• try acupressure – there's some evidence that putting pressure on your wrist, using a special band or bracelet on your forearm or by pressing with your fingers, may help relieve the symptoms

Find out more about vitamins, supplements and nutrition in pregnancy

Anti-sickness medicine

If your nausea and vomiting is severe and does not improve after trying lifestyle changes, your GP may recommend a short-term course of an anti-sickness medicine, called an antiemetic, that's safe to use in pregnancy.

Often this will be a type of antihistamine , which are usually used to treat allergies but also work as medicines to stop sickness (antiemetic).

Antiemetics will usually be given as tablets for you to swallow.

But if you have severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum), your doctor may suggest an injection or a type of medicine that's inserted into your bottom (suppository).

See your GP if you'd like to talk about getting anti-sickness medicine.

Risk factors for morning sickness

It's thought hormonal changes in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy are probably one of the causes of morning sickness.

But you may be more at risk of it if:

• you're having twins or more
• you had severe sickness and vomiting in a previous pregnancy
• you tend to get motion sickness (for example, car sick)
• you have a history of migraine headaches
• morning sickness runs in the family
• you used to feel sick when taking contraceptives containing oestrogen
• it's your first pregnancy
• you're obese (your BMI is 30 or more)

The charity Pregnancy Sickness Support has tips for you and your partner on dealing with morning sickness.

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Video: How can I cope with morning sickness?

In this video, a midwife gives advice on how to deal with morning sickness during your pregnancy.

Page last reviewed: 17 April 2024 Next review due: 17 April 2027

Almost 6 weeks- No morning sickness

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