A Closer Look At – When Does Morning Sickness Start?
If you are searching for advice on when does morning sickness start? or why it occurs in the first place during pregnancy, in this article we take a closer look at morning sickness and when you can expect to see it occur too.
The discovery of life developing inside the womb is a source of joy and pride of every would-be mother. However, it is also a source of apprehension and discomfort, especially when the second red flag of pregnancy appears – morning sickness.
A Look At Morning Sickness And Why It Happens
Before looking at when does morning sickness start, let’s first take a quick look at why it happens and occurs in the first place?
Morning sickness, also clinically known as nausea gravidarum, affects most pregnant women. Its cause is mostly associated with the hormonal changes undergone by your body to accommodate the growth of the child. Not all pregnant women will experience this particular symptom of pregnancy. The probability of a pregnant woman experiencing morning sickness can also be attributed to one’s health factors and proneness to motion sickness too.
Although the name suggests the time for its occurrence, morning sickness may set in at any time of the day. You may suffer from mild to severe nausea, which may eventually lead to vomiting and pain in the stomach area. The nausea and vomiting are usually induced by the heightened sensitivity to odours when pregnant. These odours which trigger the gag reflex differ from one woman to another. Normal scents that did not bother you before may cause you to run for the bathroom during pregnancy.
Some studies support the theory that morning sickness is actually a defence mechanism against harmful toxins that an expecting mother may ingest. This may explain why certain smells and tastes are unbearable and can easily cause you to experience the whole array of morning sickness. The body rejects what it deems to be a threat to the health of the foetus, as well as to the health of you. Because a pregnant woman’s body has an impaired immune system, her other systems need to work double to protect her.
When Does Morning Sickness Start During Pregnancy?
The severity and duration of morning sickness experienced will vary from one pregnant woman to another. However, it always starts during the first trimester of the pregnancy. You may experience it as early as during the 4th week. It will begin with mild nausea and will continue to get worse during weeks 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 until it culminates during the 12th week, when the foetus’ vulnerability to toxins is at its peak and when the hormones start to stabilize and decrease.
Morning sickness usually lasts until the 14th week and disappears completely by the second trimester. However, for some it may continue to affect you during the second semester. In some rare cases, it may last for the whole duration of the pregnancy.
For more on how long it lasts, take a look at this article > How Long Does Morning Sickness Last
As mentioned, it will differ from person to person, and you may not even experience it at all, but, that is the general guide for the question – When Does Morning Sickness Start, and ultimately how long it tends to last.
