Nausea during pregnancy

Some people feel sick at certain times of the day. Others feel sick all the time. It is common for certain smells to make the nausea worse.

Some may feel so nauseous that they vomit.

Extreme nausea

Some people become very nauseous and vomit very often. In such cases, there is a risk of dehydration and not getting enough nutrients.

If you are feeling this poorly, you may need hospital care for periods of time.

Most people who feel nauseous during pregnancy do not need medical care. Talk to a midwife (barnmorska) if you have any questions or need advice.

Contact a healthcare provider if you cannot keep any food or drink down.

Contact one of these clinics:

• A midwifery clinic (barnmorskemottagning)
• A healthcare centre
• An out-of-hours service.

Get help from an interpreter

You can get help from an interpreter if you do not speak Swedish.

Let the clinic know you need an interpreter when you book your appointment.

Call 1177 for advice

Call the 1177 helpline if you need advice on what to do. Your call will be answered by a nurse. The nurse can speak both Swedish and English. Help is sometimes available in other languages. Call +46 771 11 77 00 if you are calling from a phone with a foreign number.

Here are some tips that may help:

• Get some fresh air and exercise.
• Get rest.
• Avoid stress.
• Try to eat something as soon as you wake up.
• Eat often, but small portions at a time.
• Avoid foods that are fatty, spicy or fried.
• Try to drink tea or eat foods that contain some ginger.

If you vomit a lot, you will need to drink a little more than usual.

If you need support

Feeling nauseous and vomiting during pregnancy is often taxing. It may feel better to talk to someone about your symptoms. For example, you can talk to a midwife.

There are medicines that can help. For example, some people feel better with medicine for motion sickness.

Talk to a doctor, midwife or pharmacist before using any medicine while pregnant.

Some people find that acupuncture helps.

Some people may need hospital treatment

If you are extremely nauseous and vomit a lot, you may need hospital treatment. You can then be given nutrition directly into your bloodstream by IV drip.

The nausea is caused by the hormones in your body when you are pregnant. Some people react to these hormones more than others.

The nausea may be worse when you are tired, stressed or have not eaten anything.

Nausea is particularly common if you are pregnant with more than one child.

It is not harmful

Feeling nauseous and vomiting are not harmful to you or your baby. The baby is getting the nutrients it needs.