morning sickness

Also known as nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, NVP, emesis gravidarum

nausea due to pregnancy

Key facts

Other names: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, nausea gravidarum, emesis gravidarum, pregnancy sickness
Specialty: Obstetrics
Symptoms: Nausea , vomiting
Complications: Wernicke encephalopathy , esophageal rupture
Usual onset: 4th week of pregnancy
Duration: Until 16th week of pregnancy
Causes: Unknown
Diagnostic method: Based on symptoms after other causes have been ruled out
Differential diagnosis: Hyperemesis gravidarum
Prevention: Prenatal vitamins
Treatment: Doxylamine and pyridoxine
Frequency: ~75% of pregnancies

Article

Morning sickness, also called nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), is a symptom of pregnancy. Despite the name, nausea or vomiting can occur at any time during the day. Typically the symptoms occur between the 4th and 16th weeks of pregnancy. About 10% of women still have symptoms after the 20th week of pregnancy. A severe form of the condition is known as hyperemesis gravidarum and results in weight loss.

The cause of morning sickness is unknown but may relate to changing levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin. Some have proposed that morning sickness may be useful from an evolutionary point of view. Diagnosis should only occur after other possible causes have been ruled out. Abdominal pain, fever, or headaches are typically not present in morning sickness.