Morning sickness

Introduction 

Symptoms of nausea, vomiting and tiredness are common during early pregnancy. Around half of all pregnant women will experience both nausea and vomiting, and 28% of women will experience nausea without vomiting.

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP)

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is an unwelcome, but perfectly normal, part of pregnancy. It doesn't put your baby at any increased risk.

Studies have shown that women who have NVP tend to have healthier pregnancies, with lower rates of miscarriages and still births, compared with women who have nausea-free pregnancies.

NVP can often be treated by making changes to your diet and by taking plenty of rest.

NVP is sometimes trivialised as a minor inconvenience of pregnancy, but it can have a significant, adverse effect on your day-to-day activities and quality of life. The support of friends and family may help you to cope better with this upsetting condition.

  • show glossary terms
Nausea
Nausea is when you feel like you're going to be sick.

Last reviewed: 12/05/2008

Next review due: 12/05/2010

What are these?

beccibr said on 04 February 2010

i am 8 weeks pregnant and i am being sick quite alot but fizzy water just before i go to be really helps. Does anyone know when it stops ? thanks

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

charlie flynn said on 03 February 2010

I am 6 weeks pregnant with my first child but have not suffered with any sickness or nausea....not sure if I am lucky or lucky judging from the NHS statement

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

rachaelj said on 03 February 2010

Having already had 2 miscarriages can I also say that the comment about 'healthier pregnancies' is an incredibly tactless statement and goes no way to making my current pregnancy a less fraught experience. What a stupid thing to write. On a par with the pregnancy book I bought which suggests avoiding bad pre-pregnancy habits such as 'being over 35'. Its generally accepted that though this NHS statement may be true, all pregnancies are very different and you need all the help and encouragement you can get. Can I suggest you re-write this statement?


Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

AJS 001 said on 18 January 2010

Thank you for putting the fear of god into those who have no sickness or nausea and therefore, by default from your statement 'unhealthier' pregnancies with the threat of who knows what just because they aren't being sick. Just the kind of stupidity I'd expect from the NHS, always failing to see two sides to every story.

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

User108700 said on 08 October 2009

I'm 10 weeks pregnant and have had horrendous sickness for around a month now, I am sick every hour most days, i can't keep any food down and although I drink pints and pints of water I am constantly thirsty due to not keeping enough down, I was told that there was nothing I could have to help the sickness until I was 12 weeks, however I was totally at the end of my tether yesterday I rang the doctor and expressed how truely dibilitating this is for me, it's come to the point where I can hardly leave the house, I have a one year old and feel that I am being a total let down as I can't look after him to the extent I wish I could. The doctor decided after my begging and crying to prescribe me Avomine (this was a different doc to the one who initially told me there was nothing) however I took the first dose last night and it almost immediately made me exhausted but did nothing for the sickness. They told me if the Avomine didn't work there are others to try so fingers crossed I'll find the answer soon, I really want to be well enough to celebrate my little ones birthday next weekend. With my first I was sick for 6 months, it was rather severe but not a patch on this time!!

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

wally34 said on 11 September 2009

just a little update i am now 10 weeks pregnant and feeling a little better. i have been admitted twice over the past 6 weeks to hospital and had to have fluids and iv anti sickness drugs . i am now at home with a butterfly in my arm and as and when i need to i inject the anti sickness drugs which helps me get through the day. my doctors have been very sympathetic and we have tried various methods to help the sickness and this seems to be working. don't get me wrong i still dont feel 100% but i am now out of bed and helping around the house! hopefully within the next month i'll start to feel normal again and start to enjoy this pregnancy.

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

tasha_D said on 07 September 2009

I am 8 weeks pregnant with my 4th child and this time the morning sickness is so bad even funny smells in the street are making me heave. I can't eat my own cooking without vomiting, everywhere I turn there's another bad smell waiting to make me puke! This is the worst I have experienced it and I so hope it ends soon - it's getting embarrassing and my youngest is scared every time he hears me!

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

olgaduck said on 03 September 2009

Hi, I'm 5-6 weeks pregnant my second pregnancy and I'm feeling very very ill. Last time i was sick for 7 months and hope this wont be the same, the only thing I find helps a little is after I'm sick about 10 min I have some salt and vineger crisps and it does help me so hopefully this might help someone else.

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

olgaduck said on 03 September 2009

Hi, I'm 5-6 weeks pregnant my second pregnancy and I'm feeling very very ill. Last time i was sick for 7 months and hope this wont be the same, the only thing I find helps a little is after I'm sick about 10 min I have some salt and vineger crisps and it does help me so hopefully this might help someone else.

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

MamaSmurf said on 22 August 2009

Well this is my first pregnancy, I am 7 weeks and have suffered with sickness from a few days before I realised I was pregnant!
People tell you all different things to help, ginger is a good one the main thing I find helps when it gets really bad is a lie down, and try to eat little and often.
I agree really hope this passes soon as it does bring you down.

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

wally34 said on 18 August 2009

this is my 4 th pregnancy and in all pregnancies i have suffered from severe morning sickness.well all day sickness is more appropiate. this happens daily from week5 till around week 14 and then occasionally until labour. it can make you feel down when you have your head in a sick bucket every 5 minutes and every woman find a different stratergie to help relive the symptoms but once i reach that 14 week period my mood lifts,energy reappears and i begin to enjoy the pregnancy a whole lot more. i'm only on week7 so only 7 more weeks to go till i feel normal!

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

the_moon_pixie said on 28 July 2009

I have just found out I am pregnant and I am roughly 6 weeks. I have been feeling nauseous for 2 weeks now, that was an indicator of my pregnancy. I have found that not wearing perfume has been helping me feel less sick and staying away from strong smells. I have only vomited twice during the fortnight though. Is that a good thing or a bad one?

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

Natalie Rose said on 26 June 2009

I am 9 weeks pregnant with my third child. What stops this horrific sickness, it is really getting me down?

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

Natalie Rose said on 23 June 2009

I am 9 weeks pregnant with my third child. I am very unwell with the constant feeling of nausia and I have just started to vomit which is horrible. How long will I be suffering from this?

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

GeorginaCW said on 13 May 2009

I have experienced nausea, vomiting and an upset tum (noone told me about that!) from roughly 5 weeks to now - 12 weeks today. I had hoped that the magic figure of 12 weeks would put an end to the vomiting but sadly no. A friend said she was sick the whole way through her pregnancy! Has anyone else experienced this or does it get better?

Report this content as offensive or unsuitable

The pregnancy blogs

Mums-to-be talk about their experiences and discuss their hopes and fears.