Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of pregnancy. In the first few months, women may constantly experience morning sickness. However, each woman experiences it differently and therefore it is not easy to predict when a bout of morning sickness may begin.


Some women may not experience morning sickness at all. Almost 70%-85% of women experience nausea and vomiting as symptoms of pregnancy. However, the severity of it many vary from pregnancy to pregnancy.


Women, who may not have experienced any nausea in their first pregnancy, may feel it in the subsequent ones. However, morning sickness is largely a misnomer, since it may happen at any time of the day. The nausea may go away at the onset of the second trimester; however, this is not a guarantee.

Doctors and scientists have not been able to find out the exact cause of nausea during pregnancy. However, for long, this sensation has been attributed to the changing levels of hormones in the body. The sudden surge of blood in the body and the imbalance of electrolytes as well as glucose may also potentially cause feelings of nausea. During the first trimester, there are several other rapid changes in the body to which nausea can be attributed. The pregnancy hormone known as hCG, as well as estrogen, begins to rise in the first trimester. However, as the pregnancy continues, the hCG levels fall. It has been seen that the sensation of nausea increases with the increase in the levels of hCG and then decreases as the hCG levels drop.

Women who are vomiting excessively, and losing both fluid and nutrition because of the vomiting, may suffer from dehydration if the situation is not controlled. Excessive vomiting may also cause a condition known as hypermesis gravidarum. This condition may cause an electrolyte disturbance. While nausea is common in pregnancy, constant vomiting is not and a doctor should be consulted for this.

Losing weight due to constant vomiting and finding blood in the vomit is not normal and medical attention should be sought for this. A urine test, to check the level of ketones, can help detect dehydration. Vitamin B6 is recommended for women who are not able to get any relief from nausea. However, no supplements should be taken without first consulting the doctor. If the nausea is incapacitating, there is no need to suffer. Appropriate medications can help stop the sensations effectively, even though the effects may be temporary.