How long does morning sickness last?

Generally speaking, morning sickness does not last any longer than the first trimester of pregnancy. For the most part, morning sickness will start somewhere around the sixth week of pregnancy, and should end around the 12th week of pregnancy. Still, it is not entirely unheard of for morning sickness to start earlier; some women claim that they have experienced morning sickness as early as the second week of pregnancy. And, on the other end of things, morning sickness can indeed last long into the second trimester, although this is much more rare.

It is estimated that as many as 7 out of every 10 pregnant women will experience morning sickness during the first trimester of their pregnancy. As such, morning sickness is among the most common of all pregnancy symptoms. While research hasn’t yet demonstrated, in a definitive way, what the exact cause of morning sickness is, there are some theories about what may cause it. One of the most interesting theories has to do with hormonal changes. It is thought that the changing hormone levels that take place in the pregnant woman’s system can cause an increase in the amount of stomach acid that is produced. This, then, leads to the nausea and vomiting that can be an all too familiar part of morning sickness.

Because morning sickness tends to last just until the end of the first trimester, this theory about hormones seems to be a likely one. As a woman nears the end of the first trimester of her pregnancy, her hormone levels tend to stabilize and level off. This occurs at, on the average, the same time that morning sickness tends to end. Still, more research in this area needs to be done.

If you experience vomiting and nausea that are severe, or that are constant after the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, you should consult your health care provider. In some cases, it may not be morning sickness that you are experiencing, but rather a problem of another sort.

Posted in Pregnancy