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What can I do to reduce nausea and vomiting in pregnancy?

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 16, 2024.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms during pregnancy. They typically start between 4 and 7 weeks of pregnancy, but usually ease by 16 weeks. For some women it can last longer or even the whole pregnancy.

Symptoms of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are often referred to as ‘morning sickness’, although they can occur at any time of the day and last throughout the day.

Morning sickness symptoms do not usually harm your baby and they don't mean your baby is unwell, but they may affect your daily routines and ability to work.

Below are some diet, lifestyle and other approaches that can be used to help ease morning sickness symptoms.

Tips to help manage morning sickness

There is no one approach that will work for every woman with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy as each pregnancy is different.

Here is a list of some small changes you can make that may help to ease your symptoms:

In addition to trying to alleviate the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, don’t forget to protect your tooth enamel if you are vomiting a lot. Try rinsing your mouth with a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a cup of water to help neutralize the acid produced by the vomiting.

Related questions

When should I seek treatment for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy?

If the nausea and vomiting is severe and persistent it may be more than just regular morning sickness. It could be a type of severe morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum or signs of another medical condition, such as a urinary tract infection, and may require medical attention.

Consult your obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) or other obstetric care provider if your symptoms are severe, persistent or are causing you any concerns. Especially see your doctor if you can’t keep down any food or water, you’re losing weight and peeing less often than usual.

What causes nausea and vomiting?

There is no clear cause of ‘morning sickness’, though it is thought to be linked to an increase in human chorionic gonadotropin levels This is a hormone produced to help maintain the pregnancy.

Some factors put women more at risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, such as if they:

References
  1. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. May, 2020. Available at: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy. [Accessed 24 December, 2020].
  2. Ministry of Health NZ. Morning Sickness. 9 January, 2020. Available at: https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/pregnancy-and-kids/pregnancy/helpful-advice-during-pregnancy/morning-sickness. [Accessed 24 December, 2020].
  3. Herrell HE. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Am Fam Physician. 2014;89(12):965-970. [Accessed 24 December, 2020]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25162163/
  4. Festin M. Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. BMJ Clin Evid. 2014;2014:1405. Published 2014 Mar 19. [Accessed 24 December, 2020]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3959188/
  5. Betz D, Fane K. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; August 30, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30422545/ [Accessed 24 December, 2020].
  6. Bpac NZ. Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. November, 2011. Available at: https://bpac.org.nz/bpj/2011/november/pregnancy.aspx . [Accessed 24 December, 2020].
  7. National Health Service UK (NHS). Nausea and morning sickness. 5 March, 2018. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-symptoms/vomiting-and-morning-sickness/ . [Accessed 24 December, 2020].

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