When Does Morning Sickness Start and End? A Complete Timeline and Guide

After four rough months of subsisting on toast and juice and losing about 10 pounds, I finally got some relief from my morning sickness. I had been waiting for pregnancy cravings—or any appetite at all—and trying at-home solutions like ginger. Finally, I started a combination of medications that eased my nausea and allowed me to eat a well-balanced diet again.

While I’d been worried that baby wasn’t getting enough nutrients, experts say this all-too-common pregnancy symptom—up to 70 percent of pregnant women experience it—is usually a reassuring sign of a healthy pregnancy. “Morning sickness is nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy,” says Dawn Maddux, RN, IBCLC, a nurse, lactation consultant and parenting coach with MissPoppins. “It affects most women in the first trimester of pregnancy. Despite its name, it can happen at any time of the day or night.”

So, when does morning sickness start? And, more importantly, when does morning sickness end? Here’s what to know about this queasy condition—plus practical, expert-backed tips to cope.

Key Takeaways

• There’s no single cause for morning sickness, but the rise of the hormone hCG in early pregnancy plays a large role.
• Morning sickness typically begins around week 6 of pregnancy.
• Morning sickness often intensifies and peaks between weeks 8 and 10. It tends to improve by the beginning of the second trimester.
• Although most people feel better by week 14, a minority experience symptoms for longer. Severe, prolonged nausea and vomiting may indicate hyperemesis gravidarum, which requires medical attention.
• Relief strategies for morning sickness range from lifestyle tweaks to safe medications, depending on how intense your symptoms become.

When Does Morning Sickness Start?

For most people, morning sickness makes its first appearance when you’re around 6 weeks pregnant, though a few may begin feeling queasy as early as week 4. “Symptoms depend on the woman and pregnancy, but typically you’ll feel nauseous within the first five or six weeks after you miss your period,” says Julie Visk, CNM, MSN, a certified nurse-midwife in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Kayla A., a mom of two in Boston, shares that she had awful morning sickness with both of her sons, starting from week 6 to about week 14. “It was worse with my second baby,” she says. “I was definitely drained during work in the first trimester, but the mom guilt piled on quickly when I was pregnant with my second and trying to keep up with my 2-year-old toddler. I felt bad that I didn’t have the energy to play with him as much in those first few weeks.”

When Does Morning Sickness Peak?

Morning sickness generally reaches its most intense point when you’re between 8 and 10 weeks pregnant, says Cleveland Clinic. This is when nausea and vomiting tend to feel the hardest to manage. For me, that stretch felt like it’ll never end—being in public meant constant gagging at strong smells from perfume to food. This peak window is when hormonal shifts are at their strongest: The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) tends to rise steeply in early pregnancy then plateau, and once the steep climb slows, symptoms often ease. By the start of the second trimester, many people begin to see relief.

“Morning sickness is probably under-researched and under-appreciated, but we do know it correlates pretty well with the hormone hCG,” explains Matthew Hoffman, MD, MPH, chair of obstetrics and gynecology for Christiana Care. HCG levels in pregnant women tend to peak at 10 weeks, he explains—about the same time that morning sickness does too. “There are a lot of thoughts about why mothers get it, and most project that at that time in pregnancy—when baby has minimal nutritional needs and all organs are forming—it may be a way to prevent moms from ingesting things that are toxic to baby,” he says.

When Does Morning Sickness End?

You’re likely ready for the nausea to be over—so, how long does morning sickness last? For most women, morning sickness goes away by 14 weeks of pregnancy, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

But for some, it persists beyond 14 weeks—and a few struggle with nausea for their entire pregnancy. “Most people tend to feel it resolving on its own somewhere between 14 and 16 weeks,” says Visk.

“Every day, we’d wake up and my husband would optimistically ask out loud, ‘Is today the day you’ll stop throwing up?’,” recalls Lauren Barth, associate content director at The Bump and mom of three. “I finally felt something change around week 15 or 16. I could see the light! I could smell the smells. I could make it through the day without having to carry a just-in-case puke bag with me.”

Unfortunately, Visk says that, for some, morning sickness can last until closer to halfway through pregnancy, adding that “the really unlucky may experience morning sickness all the way to the end of pregnancy.”

What Causes Morning Sickness?

There’s no single cause for morning sickness: It’s a constellation of hormonal and physiological changes. Rising hCG in early pregnancy plays a major role, as do increasing levels of estrogen and progesterone. Many people become more sensitive to smells, and digestion slows during pregnancy, making nausea more likely. Additionally, research has identified potential genetic causes, as well as sensitivity to GDF15, a hormone produced in the placenta that increases during pregnancy.

Tips to Cope With Morning Sickness

Managing morning sickness often requires blending multiple approaches. Here are a few morning sickness remedies experts suggest to help cope with the condition.

Natural and lifestyle solutions

Eating small, frequent meals instead of three large ones can help stabilize your stomach. Many find that keeping bland snacks (like crackers or pretzels) nearby and eating something even before getting out of bed makes mornings slightly more bearable. Staying hydrated through drinking lots of water, and adding electrolytes when necessary, is essential. Ginger—in teas, lozenges or capsules—is a time-tested aid. Some pregnant women wear acupressure wristbands at night or during queasy spells.

Medication for morning sickness

If natural solutions don’t provide enough relief, certain over-the-counter remedies may help—just make sure to ask your healthcare provider first. “Reaching out early is always better than pining away at home,” says Hoffman. For mild nausea, vitamin B6 is often recommended as a starting point.

Can you take Dramamine while pregnant?

Dimenhydrinate (the active ingredient in OTC options like Dramamine) is another option; it’s an antihistamine that has some evidence of safety and effectiveness in pregnancy, though sedation is a possible side effect and your clinician should oversee the dosing.

Can you take Unisom while pregnant?

The standard first-line pharmacologic treatment for morning sickness is doxylamine (aka Unisom) combined with vitamin B6, which is available in FDA-approved formulations specifically for pregnancy nausea and vomiting. Under provider direction, this regimen is considered safe and appropriate for many patients. The combination of B6 and doxylamine was the medication that worked well for me when my morning sickness hadn’t let up after week 16.

Is it safe to take Zofran while pregnant?

If standard OTC and/or prescription options fail to bring sufficient relief, you can talk to your doctor about potentially prescribing Zofran (ondansetron). It’s effective, but while some studies suggest minimal risk, others remain inconclusive. So, using it requires careful shared decision-making between you and your provider.

Can you take Pepto-Bismol while pregnant?

One medication you’ll want to avoid while pregnant is Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate). Because of its salicylate component, it carries potential risks to a developing fetus, particularly in the later trimesters, and there are safer alternatives for nausea and digestive discomfort during pregnancy.

What Is Severe Morning Sickness?

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a condition that occurs in up to 3 percent of pregnant women that involves severe, treatment-resistant nausea and vomiting. Unlike typical morning sickness, HG can lead to dehydration, significant weight loss and electrolyte imbalances. Diagnosis typically involves clinical assessment, labs and sometimes imaging to rule out other causes. Treatment may include intravenous fluids, antiemetic medications, nutritional support and close monitoring. While HG often starts early like morning sickness, it may persist much longer and require more intensive care.

Emily B., a mom of two in Missouri, experienced HG during her two full-term pregnancies, as well as before her miscarriage. “I remember the weight I felt—the hopelessness that the end of all of this was still so far away,” she shares. She says that medications helped make her nausea and vomiting much more manageable, but the HG still impacted her pregnancies. “Unless you or someone close to you has experienced it, I found that people really don’t understand the effect HG has on your life,” she adds.

To Sum It Up

Morning sickness is a very common part of pregnancy that typically starts around week 6, peaking between weeks 8 and 10, and (hopefully!) easing up around week 14. While it can feel relentless in the moment, most people find relief in either natural remedies or medications, both OTC and prescription. If your symptoms become severe or unmanageable, it’s important to see your doctor for further evaluation and treatment. But, says Visk, “If you’re able to stand and get through your day, you should know that the condition generally isn’t dangerous. There’s usually an end in sight, and babies do just fine throughout morning sickness.”

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.