Most women do not experience morning sickness all day every day, but it is a common enough phenomenon that it is not considered rare. Over half of all women experience morning sickness to some degree, and a small portion of them experience it all throughout the day. There are varying ranges of severity for this, with some women battling a slight queasy feeling and others enduring almost constant vomiting and severe nausea.
Many women report having slight morning sickness all day with shorter periods of severe nausea off and on. This is fairly common and does not generally affect the ability of a woman to function. More often, women alternate between feeling fine and having the sudden and overwhelming urge to be sick or vomit. This sensation can be triggered by certain smells, sights, or movements. Less often, but still not unheard of, is the woman who is severely and constantly sick the entire day.
If a woman has morning sickness all day that is accompanied by vomiting, dehydration and malnutrition may become concerns. This severe form of sickness is called hyperemesis gravidarum. Only about two percent of all pregnancies cause this degree of constant illness, and anti-nausea medications may be prescribed in order to help the mother keep fluids down and avoid severe dehydration.
Mothers who experience some level of morning sickness all day may find that eating more frequently helps to alleviate symptoms. Other methods include nibbling on crackers, drinking ginger ale or sucking on ginger candy, getting enough rest, acupressure, and staying adequately hydrated. Some studies suggest that hard candy or lozenges containing brown rice syrup may also be beneficial. Other research indicates that taking an additional B vitamin complex in addition to prenatal vitamins may help, as morning sickness may be linked to a deficiency.
For most women, morning sickness subsides by around the 12th week of pregnancy. Women who are carrying their second child and beyond may have less severe nausea than first timers, and symptoms may begin to subside sooner. This is not always the case, as every woman and every pregnancy is different.
While there are many women who experience no nausea or vomiting during pregnancy, if morning sickness was present and suddenly disappears without warning before the 12th week of pregnancy, a doctor should be notified. Most times, this doesn’t indicate a problem, but in some cases a sudden loss of symptoms could indicate a miscarriage or hormonal imbalance. It should be noted, though, that many women cease having early pregnancy symptoms before the end of the first trimester with no complications.