When Does Morning Sickness Start | Pregnancy Symptom FAQs
Wondering when morning sickness starts? Read on to prepare for this pregnancy symptom.
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In this article:
- What Is Morning Sickness?
- When Does Morning Sickness Start?
- What Are the Causes of Morning Sickness?
- How Long Does Morning Sickness Last?
- How Should I Treat My Morning Sickness?
- Should I Take OTC Medication for Morning Sickness Symptoms?
- When Should I Start Consulting a Doctor?
- Does Morning Sickness Happen to Every Pregnant Woman?
- Does Morning Sickness Affect My Baby’s Nutritional Intake?
- Does Morning Sickness Lower My Risk of a Miscarriage?
When Does Morning Sickness Start? | A Pregnancy Guide
What Is Morning Sickness?
Morning sickness is one of the early pregnancy symptoms a mom-to-be may experience. It’s the feeling of nausea or vomiting that usually occurs during pregnancy.
A lot of women experience this in the morning, but it can really occur at any time of the day. In some cases, it can even last throughout the day. Morning sickness is normal and does not hurt the baby.
When Does Morning Sickness Start?
The nauseating feeling can start around two weeks after you have missed your period, which is usually the sixth week of pregnancy. This is an early indicator of pregnancy and most women start to suspect they are carrying a baby because of this symptom.
There is no hard rule, however, on when morning sickness might begin. It usually happens in the first trimester during the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy. But, in other cases, it happens before a woman even misses her period.
What Are the Causes of Morning Sickness?
This has long been a debated topic, and no one really knows the exact reason morning sickness happens. Doctors say there are various reasons for morning sickness, and the severity varies among women.
Hormonal change is among the suspect of this queasy feeling. Hormone levels during the first few weeks of pregnancy increase and are believed to cause nausea. Reduced blood sugar is also said to contribute to morning sickness.
Other contributing factors that cause morning sickness can be:
- feeling too tired
- emotional stress
- traveling a lot
- multiple births – possibly carrying twins or triplets
Morning sickness varies among pregnancies, too. If you felt severe nausea in your first pregnancy, it doesn’t mean it will be the same for your second pregnancy.
It’s also not hereditary. If your mother had severe or light morning sickness carrying you or your siblings, it won’t affect the way you experience your own pregnancy symptoms.
How Long Does Morning Sickness Last?
Aside from learning when morning sickness starts, it’s also important to know when it ends so you know what to expect. Most pregnant women feel better and stop feeling the queasiness by the 16th week of their pregnancy.
Others may experience morning sickness even after the first trimester, but it’s rare. Only about 10% of pregnant women experience morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy.
How Should I Treat My Morning Sickness?
There isn’t a sure way to cure morning sickness, but you can follow certain tips to alleviate the symptoms. One of the best ways to keep you from feeling nauseated is by eating frequently and in small portions.
This way, your stomach acids keep away from the lining of your stomach. Eating in small portions also ensures you won’t feel too full which can also cause nausea.
Keeping yourself hydrated is very important. Even if you feel full, you can always squeeze in a glass of water in between meals to make sure you’re reaching the required eight glasses a day.
Ginger is also said to relieve stomach issues, so you can munch on ginger candies or make yourself some ginger tea.
While morning sickness isn’t exactly avoidable, you can make it more bearable. Don’t force yourself to go out if you really feel sick.
Use your sick day in the office and stay at home until you feel better. Have a ‘morning sickness’ kit in your purse in your office, too. Fill it with things that will help you battle the symptoms and freshen up after a morning sickness episode.
RELATED: 17 Ways To Help You Through Morning Sickness
Should I Take Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medication for Morning Sickness Symptoms?
It is always the goal to try non-medicinal ways to help control the symptoms of morning sickness, but there are some women who do not get relief from non-medicinal methods. This pushes them to take medications to help them control symptoms of morning sickness.
There are OTC medications you can take if you want some relief. But, taking any of these medicines should be prescribed by your doctor to ensure your safety. In any case, only your doctor can prescribe you anti-nausea medication to help with morning sickness.
The medications are not used for the whole pregnancy period unless symptoms persist longer. You and your physician can discuss the best way to manage morning sickness and your pregnancy in general.
When Should I Start Consulting a Doctor?
Morning sickness is normal, and most pregnant women experience this in their first trimester. But, if you feel your case is severe, it is best to get medical help.
If you seem to vomit everything you take in – including water and medicines – it’s time to consult your doctor. The nausea you feel may be frequent but that doesn’t mean you should be vomiting a lot.
Some women even only feel queasy but don’t really vomit anything even when they feel it. If you throw up too often and too much, go to the doctor.
Vomiting blood also isn’t normal in morning sickness. Once you see blood in your vomit, go to your doctor immediately.
Losing two or more pounds, having stomach pains, feeling faint or dizzy just from standing up, and having a headache and fever also call for a trip to the hospital. These could be signs you have hyperemesis gravidarum and need to be treated immediately.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum Definition: Also known as extreme morning sickness, this is a health condition where prolonged or severe vomiting occurs, leading to electrolyte disturbance and weight loss.
Nausea caused by this condition does not go away on its own, unlike normal morning sickness. It also causes dehydration, which can be bad for you and the baby.
Other signs and symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum you need to look out for are:
- urinating less frequently
- low blood pressure
- fainting
- jaundice
- rapid heart rate
- confusion
- fainting
- anxiety
- loss of skin elasticity
Some cases of hyperemesis gravidarum are so severe that it needs to be treated in the hospital. Intravenous therapy, or an IV, must be given to the patient to restore lost electrolytes, vitamins, nutrients, and hydration.
Tube feeding can also be done to restore nutrients without making the patient feel nauseous. Bed rest is also advised for patients in this condition. Other treatments include herbs, acupressure, and hypnosis.
It’s always best to ask your doctor to find the best treatment suited for you.
Does Morning Sickness Happen to Every Pregnant Woman?
Not all pregnant women suffer from early morning sickness. Some even experience nausea and vomiting in one pregnancy and not in another.
Morning sickness varies among pregnancies, too. If you felt severe nausea in your first pregnancy, it doesn’t mean it will be the same for your second pregnancy.
You should also not worry about not experiencing morning sickness because it’s completely fine as long as your ob-gyn can assure your hormone levels are good or normal. It simply means your body can tolerate the pregnancy better than those who experience nausea and vomiting.
A word of caution: You should not be complacent because every pregnancy is different, and morning sickness can occur later in your pregnancy.
Does Morning Sickness Affect My Baby’s Nutritional Intake?
Pregnant women who have reasonably normal body weight and good health will not experience any nutrient deficiency when having pregnancy sickness. Even if your nutritional health may slightly be affected by some eating disorders, you still have a reserved supply of nutrients for your baby.
You will only have to be concerned when you have intense nutrient deprivation or are suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum and have lost weight. This does not only concern women’s health but also your baby’s.
Does Morning Sickness Lower My Risk of a Miscarriage?
Although most pregnant women experience morning sickness and it can be generally associated with better outcomes, it is essential to consider that this is a statistical phenomenon.
Some women who experience less or no nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can deliver healthy babies, and some who experience morning sickness can suffer a miscarriage.
A study conducted in 2016 tried to see if morning sickness is linked to miscarriage. It revealed that women who experienced morning sickness had lower risks of having a miscarriage than women who did not suffer from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
The study also showed that pregnant women who experienced both nausea and vomiting had lower risks of having a miscarriage compared to those who only suffer from nausea alone.
Symptoms may fluctuate or disappear early, and it does not mean you will miscarry when morning sickness does not occur anymore.
If you experience cramping or bleeding along with the disappearance of morning sickness, this is where you need to be worried about a miscarriage. When this happens, you need to visit your doctor immediately.
If you have no other miscarriage symptoms and are not feeling sick, in most cases, there is nothing to worry about.
Try these natural ways to cope with morning sickness in this video from BloomingTogether:
Pregnancy symptoms, especially morning sickness, may be quite uncomfortable and can sometimes hinder you from going about your regular routine, but the journey to motherhood is worth it in the end. When your baby comes, you will forget about all the discomfort and realize how wonderful the journey was!
What are your thoughts on the frequently asked questions about morning sickness? Let us know in the comments section!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 15, 2019, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
