For the majority of mothers, morning sickness in early pregnancy is typical and often to be expected during the first trimester. The severity of symptoms can vary between individuals.
It is usually experienced as vomiting/nausea; for some women, it can be the first pregnancy symptom.
As the first trimester passes, for most women, so do the symptoms of morning sickness. It can happen sooner or later as well.
Another aspect of this symptom is that some women experience morning sickness (despite its name) can actually occur at any point in the day and night. For some, it is at its worst on waking and can go away throughout the day, but others are often burdened with the symptoms throughout the day.
Not experiencing morning sickness does not indicate a miscarriage or a higher chance of it happening. However, if pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness abruptly cease, it may be a signal of a potential pregnancy loss.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The links below may be affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
Symptoms
As already mentioned, the symptoms can vary between each individual. Some can experience symptoms so severely, they have to be hospitalized.
This is called Hyperemesis gravidarum. This is less common, and most expectant mothers will not experience this.
This shall be looked at in the next section. But first, let’s explain what the more typical symptoms are for the majority of people.
Morning sickness typically begins after your first missed period and continues through the first trimester, which ends at around 12 weeks. Some women can experience less severe symptoms beyond the first trimester, but this is less common.
Common symptoms can include:
- Nausea upon waking or after eating
- Strong aversion to certain foods/smells
- A queasy feeling similar to travel sickness
- Occasional vomiting throughout the day coupled with nausea
Although anyone can be affected by it, according to mayoclinic.org there are certain factors that put you at a higher risk of developing it. These include:
- If you’re prone to travel sickness, migraines, or have taken birth control pills before pregnancy
- You have experienced morning sickness in previous pregnancies
- You are carrying twins
However, if your symptoms become so severe, you struggle to keep liquids down, you will need to speak with your doctor.
Other signs to look out for include passing small amounts of urine that is dark, dizziness when you stand or even fainting, and heart palpitations/racing heart.
Severe symptoms can be a sign of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). This is far less common and does require hospitalization. We shall discuss this next and look at the symptoms.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
This is a particularly extreme and persistent form of morning sickness. It can impact on your daily life, preventing you from carrying out your day-to-day activities.
Hospitalization may be needed simply because dehydration can occur along with weight loss, malnutrition, potential renal and liver damage.
According to rarediseases.org up to 5% of body weight can be lost due to HG.
Besides extreme vomiting, there are other symptoms to look out for:
- A continuous bad taste in the mouth
- Excessive salivation
- A distinct odor to the breath referred to as ketotic odor
- Shivering
- Problems with vision – due to dehydration
- Rapid heart rate
Hospitalization not only ensures the mother is getting fluids, it also ensures she does not become malnourished or experience any organ failure due to the severity of the symptoms.
Do you have to have morning sickness for a normal pregnancy?
As already discussed, no two expectant mothers are the same. Experiencing morning sickness is perfectly normal as well as not having any symptoms.
Not having any symptoms is not a sign of miscarriage or an increased risk.
No one really knows what causes it, but it is believed to be related to the increase in pregnancy hormones that can also slow digestion, making nausea more likely.
These hormones include the main pregnancy hormone – human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as well as cortisol, estrogen, progesterone and prostaglandins.
HCG is created by the placenta while it is developing soon after conception of the fertilized egg. It peaks at around the end of the first trimester (10-12 weeks) and then steadily falls throughout the rest of the pregnancy.
Should I be worried if my symptoms suddenly stop?
Once your body adjusts to the higher hormone levels, the symptoms of morning sickness can come and go. Some women may find they experience no symptoms for several days, only to have them return suddenly.
While hCG is the main cause of morning sickness, and many consider it to be a good sign of a healthy pregnancy, if symptoms suddenly stop, it does not necessarily indicate something is wrong.
Providing you are still experiencing other pregnancy symptoms such as sore breasts, tiredness, aversions or cravings for certain foods, increased urination, a sudden stop in morning sickness should not be a cause for concern in itself.
Symptoms of miscarriage
However, for it to be a concern, other symptoms also need to appear.
The majority of miscarriages occur during the first trimester and it is the reason why many women chose to keep their pregnancy quiet until they are past the 12 week mark.
The symptoms that should give you a reason to be concerned include:
Vaginal bleeding
This is the main sign of miscarriage. Though, again, not necessarily a guaranteed sign of a failed pregnancy.
Many women do experience bleeding throughout pregnancy. However, even if you consider this normal, you must always speak to your doctor if you discover any blood on your underwear each time.
Very often, your doctor will suggest an overnight stay in hospital for observation to ensure everything is fine.
The amount of blood is normally a useful indication of possible miscarriage. Slight spotting is often not a sign of miscarriage, but heavier bleeding may point to such an occurrence.
This is also the case if cramping accompanies the heavier blood loss.
Cramps
Another sign of miscarriage is cramping within the abdominal area. As mentioned, when it accompanies heavy blood loss, it can often indicate miscarriage.
Cramps tend to be far more severe than period pains and occur more frequently. This is due to the uterus contracting to remove the pregnancy tissue.
It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and not stop until all the tissue has been removed.
Treatment to make morning sickness easier
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to treat morning sickness. While doctors can prescribe certain medications to ease the symptoms, this is usually a last resort.
If you feel your symptoms are having an effect on the quality of your daily life, you should always speak with your doctor.
If he or she agrees that you can have medication to ease it, they may prescribe:
- Reflux medications
- Emetrol
- Diclegis
- Compazine
- Corticosteroids
- Phenergan
- Reglan
Prescribed medications are a last resort for most doctors. This is due to the developing embryo being particularly sensitive to teratogens, which can result in birth defects.
Therefore, some medications cannot be prescribed while pregnant, even if you took them before your pregnancy.
If, however, you wish to try some over-the-counter remedies before making an appointment with your doctor, there are several options you can try.
- Ginger
- Reflux meds
- Emetrol
- Vitamin B6
- Papaya enzymes
- Dandelion root tea
There are other ways to deal with morning sickness, and these should always be tried first before seeking medications.
Dietary changes
Avoiding foods that cause nausea and or vomiting is the first option and one most women will opt for first. Certain pungent foods will be more of a trigger than others.
Obvious culprits include eggs, fish, spicy food and some dairy products. It is also important for expectant mothers to take a multivitamin specifically aimed at pregnant women.
This will ensure that even if you avoid certain foods during pregnancy, you will still receive your daily requirement of vitamins and minerals essential for you and your baby’s health.
There is also evidence that shows deficiencies in some minerals and vitamins such as magnesium and vitamin B6 respectively can contribute to morning sickness.
Stay hydrated
This is very important while experiencing any vomiting. Hydration is key, even before pregnancy and especially during breastfeeding.
Dehydration is also a contributing factor of nausea. If you are having difficulty in drinking full glasses, take smaller sips throughout the day to keep your fluids up.
Distraction
Another good way to reduce the symptoms is to provide yourself with distractions throughout the day. Taking walks in the fresh air can help as well as provide you with important exercise.
Other things can include organizing the nursery, or general organizing to keep your mind off any feelings of nausea.
Alternative remedies
As mentioned, some people find ginger can be of great help. However, it can be an acquired taste.
If you don’t like the taste, you can use the scent of peppermint essential oils. Chewing minty gum can also have the same effect as essential oils.
Sea-Bands or acupressure wrist bands can help and are marketed toward pregnant women experiencing morning sickness.
Acupuncture is another option where the focus is on the wrist area. Some women swear by this, but if needles are not appealing to you, then you should avoid this option.
Small meals
Eat little and often. Avoid eating heavy meals, even if this was your norm before.
While in the first trimester, perhaps break down three meals into smaller ones to help your digestion and reduce the chances of vomiting.
Conclusions
If you find your morning sickness suddenly stops at 7 weeks, unless it is accompanied by other concerning symptoms such as heavy blood loss and cramps, you should not be too worried.
Always speak to your doctor or medical professional about any concerns or changes just to be on the safe side, and always speak to them when seeking remedies if your sickness symptoms interfere with your daily life.