Vomiting During Pregnancy: Causes, Relief, and What Works

When you're pregnant, vomiting during pregnancy, a frequent and often distressing symptom affecting up to 80% of expectant mothers. Also known as morning sickness, it can strike at any time of day and range from mild queasiness to constant nausea and vomiting. While it’s usually not dangerous, severe cases can lead to dehydration and weight loss—something you don’t want to ignore.

What causes it? It’s not just hormones, though hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone that spikes early in pregnancy plays a big role. Your stomach slows down, your sense of smell gets sharper, and even stress or low blood sugar can make things worse. Some women find that certain smells—coffee, garlic, or even perfume—trigger nausea. Others feel fine until lunchtime, or worse, all night long. It’s not the same for everyone, and that’s normal.

There are real, practical ways to manage this. Ginger, whether in tea, capsules, or candies, has been shown in studies to reduce nausea without harming the baby. Vitamin B6, often combined with doxylamine (an antihistamine), is a go-to recommendation from OB-GYNs. Eating small, dry snacks like crackers before getting out of bed helps many. And while some swear by acupressure wristbands, the science is mixed—but if it works for you, there’s no harm. What doesn’t work? Emptying your stomach completely or forcing yourself to eat big meals. You need to work with your body, not against it.

Don’t confuse normal nausea with hyperemesis gravidarum—that’s when vomiting is so severe you can’t keep food or fluids down, lose more than 5% of your pre-pregnancy weight, or feel dizzy and faint. That’s a medical issue. If you’re peeing less than usual, your urine is dark, or you’re losing weight, call your provider. You might need IV fluids or medication that’s safe during pregnancy.

Below, you’ll find real, tested advice from people who’ve been there. Whether you’re looking for natural remedies, drug options, or just want to know if what you’re feeling is normal, the posts here give you clear, no-fluff answers. No guesses. No hype. Just what actually helps.