Can You Have Morning Sickness Without Vomiting?

The commonest symptom of pregnancy – morning sickness includes nausea with or without vomiting. Hence, it is possible to get morning sickness without vomiting. In fact, some women do not experience vomiting at all, however, they do experience nausea all day long. So yes, a pregnant woman can have morning sickness without vomiting.

Signs And Symptoms Of Morning Sickness

The commonest and most prominent symptom of morning sickness is nausea with or without vomiting, which may prevail all day long, despite the name morning sickness

Causes Of Morning Sickness

The exact cause of morning sickness is not known. Some of the speculated causes are as follows-

Some studies and experts believe that varying levels of hormone HCG found in the body in pregnancy may be responsible for morning sickness.
Some also believe that the amount of HCG hormone in the body is directly proportional to the intensity of morning sickness.
Some studies say some psychological factors may be responsible for this morning sickness.
Increased estrogen levels may be responsible for morning sickness according to some studies
However, oral contraceptive pills or hormone replacement therapy medicines also lead to such type of symptoms
An increase in progesterone levels might be the reason according to some studies
An early or untimely childbirth is prevented due to progesterone, as it relaxes the uterine muscles

However, progesterone may also cause a relaxation in the muscles of stomach and intestines, which may increase the stomach acids and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

Some studies speculate that HCG prompts the ovaries of the mother to produce more oestrogen, which becomes a cause of nausea
Some studies believe that this might be a part of the evolution process. This may be explained by why morning sickness is seen only in pregnant women and not in other women.
This may be suggestive of the fact that it is a way of the body to consider pregnancy as a physiological change and not a pathological one.
Morning sickness is at the peak level at three months and this is the time when the foetus is most susceptible to toxins
Morning sickness may also be a reaction invoked in the mother due to a presence of toxins in food. It is generally experienced that nausea starts after the mother encounters a particular smell or food

Natural Remedies And Tips For Morning Sickness

Avoid food which is very greasy and spicy. Any food that has a tendency to cause a stomach upset can give you a nausea
Include extra protein in your food. High-fat or high-carb foods can’t fight nausea as good as protein rich foods
Eat small proportions of food and avoid one full meal. Eating large quantities at a time may trigger nausea by giving you a feeling of heaviness and fullness
Be in a sitting position for at least sometime after you finish eating. You may experience nausea if reflux is triggered due to lying down immediately after eating. Sitting straight for some time after eating will help
Avoid drinking liquids with meals. Drinking with meals can again trigger nausea by inducing a feeling of fullness
Keep up your fluid balance through the day. If you experience vomiting too it may lead to dehydration. Drink electrolyte balanced fluids, vegetable broth or mineral water to avoid dehydration
Stay away from triggering smells. Also, it is a good idea to stay away from those smells which you know for sure can trigger nausea in you
There is no need to take any iron supplements in the first trimester if iron in your blood within normal limits as these may trigger nausea in some women
Exercise regularly. Some fresh air will surely do you lot of good. Aerobic exercise, yoga will help in reducing the nausea
Though generally morning sickness includes both nausea and vomiting, many pregnant women may experience morning sickness without vomiting.

References:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2020). Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy
Mayo Clinic. (2021). Pregnancy Week by Week: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (Morning Sickness). https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/morning-sickness/faq-20453927
American Pregnancy Association. (2021). Morning Sickness During Pregnancy. https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/morning-sickness-during-pregnancy/
Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. (2021). American Academy of Family Physicians. https://familydoctor.org/condition/nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy/
Swallow, B. L., Lindow, S. W., & Masson, E. A. (2004). Are women with a history of molar pregnancy at risk of a poor psychological outcome following early miscarriage? European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 117(2), 154-158. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2004.04.009.

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Can You Have Morning Sickness Without Vomiting?