How soon after getting pregnant do you feel nauseous

Morning sickness is one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms, but the severity varies for everyone. Some people feel a slight queasiness that comes and goes, while others feel sick enough to vomit. So when does morning sickness usually start and end? Here's a guide for parents-to-be.

When Does Morning Sickness Start?

While the morning sickness timeline isn't set in stone, most pregnant people start to feel queasy halfway through the first trimester, between weeks six and eight (though it may also start earlier. "Generally, it's not going to start after week 14," says Michele Hakakha, M.D., FACOG, an OB-GYN in Beverly Hills and author of Expecting 411. The exception: Late in pregnancy, your baby may push on your stomach and intestines, causing nausea. Many of the same strategies you use for standard morning sickness can also help with this late-pregnancy nausea.

Scientists still don't fully understand what causes morning sickness or why some pregnant people will only feel a bit queasy while others will vomit. The leading theory is that the pregnancy hormone hCG, as well as estrogen, begin to rise in the body and trigger a cascade of responses, including nausea and vomiting. Some researchers think that morning sickness may be the body's way of protecting a growing fetus by purging the body of anything potentially toxic. This may explain certain food aversions or sensitivities to smells that previously didn't bother you.

In one study, researchers found that people with morning sickness symptoms were less likely to have a miscarriage. But that is not to say that if you don't have morning sickness, you should be concerned. Lots of expecting parents will skip the dreaded morning sickness phase and go on to deliver healthy babies.

For many pregnant folks, morning sickness symptoms will begin around week 6 of gestation. They often stop by 10-14 weeks but may continue until weeks 16 to 18—or occasionally until the end of pregnancy. Despite common misconception, the nausea doesn't only happen in the morning for many people.

To manage some of the less-than-pleasant symptoms, try eating salty crackers or ginger. You should also talk to your doctor about your prenatal vitamins. For some pregnant parents, the iron content in prenatal vitamins can be high enough to cause an upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting. In one study, researchers found that by simply avoiding iron in supplements, pregnant people were able to dramatically reduce the amount of morning sickness symptoms they felt. If you do opt to avoid iron in your vitamins, make sure you are getting iron—and folic acid—from another source.

A few great sources of iron and folic acid include:

• Dark green leafy veggies like kale, spinach, and watercress
• Brown rice
• Fish and red meat
• Tofu, nuts, and seeds

When Does Morning Sickness End?

Most people start to feel much better by week 16. Only a small number (around 10% of parents-to-be) experience nausea and vomiting all pregnancy long.

There are certain items that can help you feel better, like ginger candy or a vitamin B6 supplement. Over-the-counter and prescription medicines can also help, so make sure to talk to your doctor. Severe weight loss as a result of illness may be dangerous to a developing fetus and should be treated either at home or in a hospital setting, says Marra Francis, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist in The Woodlands, Texas.

If your morning sickness isn't letting up, let your doctor know. You could be dealing with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), which is a severe form of morning sickness that can last the entire pregnancy. HG can be a debilitating condition that may require hospitalization for IV fluids. Some of the symptoms of HG include:

• Nausea with extreme vomiting
• Weight loss
• Dehydration and disruption of electrolytes
• Inability to retain food or drink
• Nausea does not ease

HG is rare; only around 2% of pregnant parents will experience this severe version of morning sickness.

Also, alert your doctor if morning sickness stops abruptly during the first trimester—but keep in mind that this doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong with your pregnancy. For some, nausea is a symptom that they feel every day, and for others, nausea is intermittent.

Dealing with morning sickness may not be the glowing part of pregnancy you were looking forward to, but it will not likely last for more than a few weeks. To help deter morning sickness, you can talk to your doctor about supplements, diet, exercise, and other factors that can help keep you from feeling a wave of green.

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Since morning sickness affects around 80 percent of pregnant people, it may feel like an unavoidable part of pregnancy. The likelihood increases with genetic predisposition and psychological discomfort. In other words, you’re more likely to develop nausea during pregnancy if your mom experienced it or if you’re experiencing stress or anxiety.

However, some people don’t experience any symptoms of morning sickness. If you’re part of the 80 percent who does, though, some precautions and self-care tips can help manage the symptoms. Taking vitamin B6 during pregnancy can reduce the severity of morning sickness in some cases.

The exact reasons for morning sickness are unclear, but here are a few factors that may explain why it happens:

Rising hCG levels: One of the possible reasons for morning sickness could be the body’s reaction to increasing levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG. The body begins to produce this hormone after the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining. Nausea and vomiting linked to morning sickness may show that your body is trying to adjust to the changing hormones.

In some cases, nausea and vomiting could signal some other medical conditions such as an ulcer, food-related issues, and thyroid or gallbladder disease. A health care provider might suspect one of these conditions if they are accompanied by symptoms such as abdominal pain or tenderness, fevers, headaches, or an enlarged thyroid gland.

Everyone’s pregnancy is different, and so their morning sickness varies in severity from mild to extreme. For some people, the symptoms might include mild nausea and stomach discomfort a few times a day. About 1 percent of pregnant people experience extremely severe morning sickness symptoms and are diagnosed with a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum. People with hyperemesis gravidarum experience severe nausea, frequent vomiting, weight loss, and electrolyte imbalances. 

This condition may be diagnosed when a person has lost five percent of their prepregnancy weight and has other problems related to dehydration.

Nausea and vomiting can become more problematic if a person struggles to keep down food or fluids and begins to lose weight. When this happens, the fetus’s weight at birth may be affected.

Call a health care provider if you have the following signs of dehydration:

• You have a small amount of urine that is dark in color.
• You feel dizzy or faint when standing up.
• You have a racing or pounding heartbeat.

Hospitalization is sometimes required in these cases, as some patients need a feeding tube and/or intravenous fluids to stay healthy.

With some self-care tips, home remedies, and natural treatments, you can reduce some aspects of morning sickness. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Vitamins: Taking vitamin B6 during pregnancy can reduce the severity of morning sickness. Make sure to ask your doctor for advice about the dosage.
• Ginger: Ginger can reduce the nausea caused by morning sickness. Eating or drinking gingery foods and beverages can help ease your symptoms naturally.
• Have small, frequent meals: Instead of a few heavy meals, try eating several small snacks throughout the day. This keeps your digestive system from getting overloaded, making it easier to keep food down. Simple, warm dishes such as soups can offer appropriate calories without making you feel full. Add beans and vegetables to ensure proper nutrition.
• Stay hydrated: The vomiting caused by morning sickness can dehydrate you, further aggravating symptoms. Take small sips of water throughout the day to stay hydrated — not just when you feel thirsty. Aim for 8–12 cups of water a day during pregnancy.
• Avoid spicy and rich foods: Spicy or sugary foods can upset your stomach and worsen nausea. It’s a good idea to stay away from them, as well as any food whose smell or taste makes you feel sick. Eat simple foods that can be easily digested. Here is a handy nutrition guide you can use to decide what to eat at each stage of your pregnancy.
• Pay attention to smells: Pleasant scents like lavender or mint can help manage nausea.
• Try acupressure: Studies have shown that acupressure on the inner wrist can be used as an alternative method to bring relief from nausea.
• Get emotional support: Additional anxiety and stress can aggravate discomfort. Getting support from your friends and family can help manage your concerns as well as symptoms like nausea.

For most people, morning sickness usually begins around weeks five or six and eases by about week 12 or 14. For about 10 percent of pregnant people, it can last until week 20. In even fewer cases, morning sickness can persist throughout the pregnancy. 

Morning sickness affects around 80 percent of pregnant people and is often one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. Characterized by frequent nausea and vomiting, it starts at around week six of pregnancy and usually fades by week 12 or 14. In most cases, it can be treated with natural remedies like taking ginger, eating smaller meals, and staying hydrated. About 1 percent of pregnant people experience an extreme form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum, which may require hospitalization. If you have severe vomiting, dark-colored urine, frequent dizziness, and difficulty keeping down liquids, talk to your doctor and seek appropriate treatment. 

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