Nausea or “morning sickness” is a common problem during pregnancy. About 50 to 90 percent of women may have nausea during a normal, healthy pregnancy. One factor that may cause nausea is the rising levels of hormones. Usually morning sickness ends by the fourth month or around 12 to 16 weeks gestation. Watch now

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can cause negative impacts including job efficiency, sick time/lost work time, suspension of normal daily activities, family relationships, mood (irritability, depression), and cited as a reason for pregnancy termination.

Treatment

Every woman is different and there is no magic cure for morning sickness. See what works best for you. Here are a few recommendations and ideas: 

  • Get plenty of rest. Nausea is worse when a person you’re tired
  • Eat small, frequent meals.
  • Eat bland foods during the day.
  • Drink fluids, especially when queasy
  • Eat solids then wait a while before you drink anything. Eating and drinking at the same time may make nausea worse

If you have tried changing your diet and daily routine and symptoms do not improve, call your healthcare provider who may recommend a medication.

Over-the-counter medications

Women should start with over-the-counter medications to see if they help:

  • Ginger
  • Antivert (meclizine)
  • Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
  • Unisom (doxylamine) and B6 (pyridoxine) combination

Prescription medications

There are prescription medications that can help:

  • Diclegis (combination of Unisom/doxylamine and B6/pyridoxine)
  • Phenergan (promethazine)
  • Zofran (ondansetron)
  • And others including some for motion sickness and reflux.

When to see the doctor

Staying hydrated is the main concern with nausea and pregnancy. Call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • You produce only small amount of urine, dark in color
  • You cannot keep liquids down
  • You feel dizzy or faint when you stand up
  • Your heart pounds or races
  • You vomit blood
  • You are losing weight quickly

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