morning sickness.
last revised · reviewed 2026-07-05
Morning sickness is nausea, with or without vomiting, that affects around 7 in 10 pregnant women. It usually starts around week 6, peaks between weeks 8 and 10, and settles by weeks 14 to 16. Despite the name, it can strike at any time of day.
what it feels like
It ranges from a low, seasick queasiness that hums in the background all day to sudden waves of nausea triggered by smells, an empty stomach, or nothing at all. Some women vomit once or twice a day; many feel sick without ever being sick.
why it happens
Rising pregnancy hormones — particularly hCG and oestrogen — are thought to sensitise the part of the brain that controls nausea. The steep hormonal climb of the first trimester matches the timing almost exactly, which is why most women feel better once levels plateau in the second trimester.
what helps
- Eat little and often — an empty stomach makes nausea worse, so keep plain crackers by the bed and nibble before getting up
- Cold foods often go down easier than hot ones, as they release less smell
- Ginger — as tea, biscuits, or capsules — has reasonable evidence behind it
- Sip fluids between meals rather than with them; small, frequent sips beat big glasses
- Rest when you can — tiredness reliably makes nausea worse
- Avoid your trigger smells where possible; ask someone else to handle cooking for a while
- Sea-Bands (acupressure wristbands) help some women and are harmless to try
when to call your midwife or doctor
- You cannot keep any food or fluid down for 24 hours — this may be hyperemesis gravidarum, which needs treatment; call your midwife or doctor
- You are passing very dark urine, or no urine for more than 8 hours
- You feel severely weak, dizzy, or faint when standing up
- You have tummy pain, a fever, or you vomit blood — call your midwife or doctor straight away
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, call — no midwife has ever minded a careful question.
common questions
When does morning sickness start and end?
Morning sickness most commonly begins around week 6 of pregnancy, peaks between weeks 8 and 10, and eases by weeks 14 to 16. A small number of women feel nauseous for longer, and a few throughout pregnancy — mention persistent sickness to your midwife.
Is it a bad sign if I have no morning sickness?
No. Around 3 in 10 pregnant women never experience nausea, and its absence says nothing reliable about how the pregnancy is progressing. Every pregnancy is different — some are simply gentler on the stomach.
What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
Hyperemesis gravidarum is severe, persistent pregnancy sickness where you cannot keep food or fluids down and may lose weight. It affects around 1 to 3 in 100 pregnancies and needs medical treatment — sometimes in hospital. If you cannot keep anything down for 24 hours, call your midwife or doctor.
read it in context
Morning sickness tends to show up around these weeks of pregnancy:
related symptoms
- Discharge changes
More vaginal discharge than usual is normal throughout pregnancy — healthy discharge is clear or milky white, mild-smelling, and increases as pregnancy progresses.
- Bleeding gums
Swollen, tender gums that bleed when brushing affect the majority of pregnant women — pregnancy hormones increase blood flow to the gums and amplify their reaction to plaque.
- Insomnia
Insomnia affects most women at some point in pregnancy — hormones disrupt sleep architecture in the first trimester, and physical discomfort, loo trips, and an active baby fragment it in the third.
know what's normal, week by week
elara tracks your symptoms alongside your weeks.
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