Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVIP)

Pregnancy sickness affects about 8 out of every 10 pregnant women

Morning sickness (NVIP) is unpleasant and can significantly affect your day-to-day life. However, it usually clears up by weeks 16 to 20 of pregnancy and does not put your baby at any increased risk.

Sometimes urinary tract infections (UTIs) can also cause nausea and vomiting. A UTI usually affects the bladder, but can spread to the kidneys.

Treatments for morning sickness (NVIP)

Unfortunately, there's no hard and fast treatment that will work for everyone’s morning sickness. Every pregnancy will be different.

If these do not work or you have more severe symptoms which impact your daily life, your GP or midwife might recommend medication that will always be safe to use in pregnancy.

• get plenty of rest (tiredness can make nausea worse)
• avoid foods or smells that make you feel sick
• eat something like dry toast or a plain biscuit in the morning
• eat small, frequent meals of plain foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in fat (such as bread, rice, crackers and pasta)
• eat cold foods rather than hot ones if the smell of hot meals makes you feel sick
• drink plenty of fluids, such as water (sipping them little and often may help prevent vomiting)
• eat foods or drinks containing ginger – there’s some evidence ginger may help reduce nausea and vomiting (check with your pharmacist before taking ginger supplements during pregnancy)
• try acupressure – there’s some evidence that putting pressure on your wrist, using a special band or bracelet on your forearm or by pressing with your fingers, may help relieve the symptoms.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Up to three in every 100 pregnant women experience a very severe form of pregnancy sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum.

Some pregnant women experience very bad nausea and vomiting. They might be sick many times a day and be unable to keep food or drink down, which can impact on their daily life.

This excessive nausea and vomiting is known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), and often needs hospital treatment.

If you are being sick frequently and cannot keep food or fluids down, tell your midwife or doctor, or contact the hospital as soon as possible. There is a risk you may become dehydrated, and your midwife or doctor can make sure you get the right treatment.

Signs and symptoms of HG include:

• prolonged and severe nausea and vomiting
• dehydration – symptoms include feeling thirsty, tired, dizzy or lightheaded, not peeing very much, and having dark yellow and strong-smelling pee
• weight loss

Unlike regular pregnancy sickness, HG may not get better by 16 to 20 weeks. It may not clear up completely until the baby is born, although some symptoms may improve at around 20 weeks.

Sussex Maternal Medicine Centre

The Sussex Maternal Medicine Service is a team working across Sussex to ensure that all women/people have access to specialist maternal medicine advice wherever they plan to give birth. The Maternal Medicine Centre (MMC) is based in Brighton.

If your Specialist, GP, Obstetrician, or midwife feels that you have, or are at risk of getting, a medical problem during pregnancy, you will be referred to either a Maternal Medicine Consultant based at your local hospital or to the Sussex Maternal Medicine Centre based in Brighton.

Read more about the Sussex Maternal Medicine Centre and how they can help you.