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Morning sickness - Overview

Alternative Names

Nausea in the morning - females; Vomiting in the morning - females

Definition of Morning sickness:

Morning sickness is nausea and vomiting that can actually occur at any time of the day during pregnancy.

Considerations:

Morning sickness is very common. Most pregnant women have at least some nausea, and about a third have vomiting. Morning sickness usually begins during the first month of pregnancy and continues until the 14th to 16th week. Some women have nausea and vomiting through their entire pregnancy.

Morning sickness does not hurt the baby in any way unless you lose weight, such as with severe vomiting. The amount of morning sickness during one pregnancy does not predict how you will feel in future pregnancies.

Common Causes:

The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown. It may be caused by hormone changes or lower blood sugar during early pregnancy. Emotional stress, traveling, or some foods can make the problem worse.

Morning sickness

Reviewed last on: 12/1/2008
A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Peter Chen, MD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Gordon MC. Maternal physiology. In: Gabbe SG, Niebyl JR, Simpson JL, eds. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2007:chap 3.

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