• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Morning sickness

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

Morning sickness refers to nausea and vomiting that can actually occur at anytime of the day during pregnancy.

For severe, persistent vomiting during pregnancy, see hyperemesis gravidarum . For general information on pregnancy, see pregnancy care .

Alternative Names:

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

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 persistent weight loss occurs, such as with the severe vomiting of hyperemesis gravidarum. The degree 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 hormonal changes or lower blood sugar during early pregnancy. Emotional stress, traveling, or some foods can aggravate the problem.

References:

Heinrichs L. Linking olfaction with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, recurrent abortion, hyperemesis gravidarum, and migraine headache. Am J Obstet Gynecol . 2002; 186(5 Suppl Understanding): S215-S219.

Quinla JD. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Am Fam Physician . 2003; 68(1): 121-128.

• Review Date: 5/23/2006
• Reviewed By: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.