Is It Normal for Morning Sickness to Start After 12 Weeks?
Not all pregnant women suffer from morning sickness. If you've got through the 12-week mark without feeling sick, then you may think you've dodged a bullet. Morning sickness most often lasts for the first three months of a pregnancy, at which point it starts to subside for many women. However, this schedule isn't written in stone. If you're over 12 weeks pregnant and you start to feel nauseous, then you may wonder what is going on.
Is it normal to start having morning sickness later in a pregnancy, and do you need to see your GP if you do?
Morning Sickness Is Different for Each Individual
The fact that women who get morning sickness most often have this problem early on in their pregnancies doesn't mean that you will follow this trend. Some women get morning sickness for the full nine months; some get it so badly that they need to be hospitalised.
While it's not common to have a sickness-free first three months and then to develop morning sickness, this does happen. Morning sickness can occur at any time during a pregnancy.
So, if your sickness is manageable and follows typical morning sickness symptoms where you feel ill in the morning and then a little better later, then you may just be a late bloomer. Your sickness may go away at some point during your pregnancy or it may stay with you until the end.
Do You Need to See a Doctor?
Morning sickness isn't much fun, but it's generally manageable. However, in some cases, you should talk to your midwife or GP. For example, if your morning sickness is there most of the time and makes you vomit regularly, then you may need to be checked over. This is especially important if you can't keep any food or drinks down. It's important to keep your nutrition and hydration levels up when you're having a baby. If your sickness threatens this balance, then you may need medication or treatment.
You should also see your GP if you have any other symptoms along with the sickness. Sometimes, women get what they think is morning sickness later in pregnancy only to find that they have a different illness or condition. For example, if you have a temperature or feel generally quite ill, then you could have a stomach upset or a urinary infection.
If you're worried about the onset of later morning sickness, make an appointment to see your GP. They can check you over, reassure you and give you medicines for the sickness if they think you need them.