Morning Sickness in the 3rd Trimester of Pregnancy

Morning sickness is nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Even though the name is morning sickness but this lasts all the day. This is one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms and it’s very normal to feel nauseated during the 1st trimester of pregnancy but did you know morning sickness or nausea can happen in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy as well? Yes, you read it right, morning sickness in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, it sounds weird but in few cases it appears in the 3rd trimester. A journal published in NCBI says nausea and vomiting affects 70 to 80% of pregnant women. The symptom is limited to the 1st trimester. But a small percentage of women have a prolonged course with symptoms extending until delivery. So if you are feeling nausea and vomiting in 3rd trimester of pregnancy then no need to worry about it. We all know pregnancy is a gift and many surprising facts are associated with it so, today we are here to give you full knowledge on one of those facts i.e., morning sickness in 3rd trimester.

When does the 3rd Trimester of Pregnancy Begin?

The pregnancy’s third trimester begins around week 27 of pregnancy and lasts till delivery. So from week 27 to week 40 (7th, 8th and 9th month) is known as the 3rd or final trimester of pregnancy.

Causes of Morning Sickness in the 3rd Trimester of Pregnancy

Nausea and vomiting are the pregnancy syndromes which can persist throughout your pregnancy. It may happen that you recover from morning sickness and again the symptoms return after a few weeks. So experiencing nausea in the third trimester is not an exception. Just like the 1st trimester, morning sickness in the 3rd trimester happens due to many reasons. Let’s discuss:

Hormonal Changes

Yes hormones again, the hormonal changes during pregnancy is very common. So if you feel nausea during your third trimester then this can be due to constant fluctuations of hormones in your body during this period of pregnancy.

The Growing Baby

Your growing baby puts a lot of pressure on your digestive system during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. If your uterus is getting pressed up against your stomach then you can have excessive nausea, heartburn and vomiting.

Diet

Diet can also be one of the reasons for nausea and vomiting in the third trimester of pregnancy. Too spicy, greasy and acidic foods can be the cause of nausea. So during pregnancy you must follow a good nutritious diet and avoid such foods which make you feel nauseated.

Prenatal Vitamins

Sometimes consumption of prenatal vitamins especially those which are containing iron can make you feel nausea. So if your nausea has never gone away then this can be a reason. So it’s better to consult with your doctor and change your prenatal vitamins.

Preeclampsia

It’s a condition of high blood pressure which can occur during pregnancy. Women with gestational hypertension can also develop preeclampsia.It is one of the potentially dangerous complications of pregnancy. Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder that occurs during pregnancy and encompasses 2% to 8% of pregnancy-related complications worldwide. Nausea and vomiting occurs as a part of this syndrome.

HELLP Syndrome

Advance case of preeclampsia can lead you to HELLP syndrome which involves breakdown of red blood cells, liver problems and low platelet count. For these reasons you may feel nausea and vomiting in the pregnancy third trimester. In a few cases HELLP syndrome can appear even if you are not suffering from preeclampsia.

AFLP

AFLP or Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy is a disorder where fat builds up in the liver brought on by pregnancy. This occurs in those who have a genetic tendency of fatty liver disease. Nausea and vomiting are the common symptoms in this disease.

Medical Issues

If you have underlying health problems such as Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease you may feel nausea and vomiting while pregnant.

Nausea or Morning Sickness as a Sign of Labor

Nausea in the 3rd trimester can be an early sign of labor. If you recently had a large meal then went into labor then nausea might be the 1st sign that the labor has begun. However, nausea is not the only sign of labor, other signs include the following

Back Pain

Your early labor pain can also feel like back pain and this happens as the uterus starts to tighten up.

Loss of Mucus Plug

The mucus plug stays inside the cervix throughout the pregnancy. It prevents infection from getting into the uterus. When the cervix size changes the mucus plug is lost.

Diarrhea

A sudden reduction in certain pregnancy hormones can lead you to diarrhea prior to labor.

Lightening

One of the major signs of labor. This happens when the head of the baby drops lower into your pelvis. Lightning can start a few weeks before or for some a few hours before the labor begins.

Increase in Braxton-Hicks Contractions

This feels like your lower abdomen has tightened up. The frequent and severe Braxton-Hicks contractions can be a sign of labor.

Rupture of Amniotic Sac

Amniotic Sac is the layers of tissue that holds the fluid that surrounds the baby in the womb. In most cases this ruptures during or just before 24 hours of starting labor.

How to Prevent Morning Sickness in the 3rd Trimester of Pregnancy?

• Eat small and frequent meals throughout the day.
• Avoid sugary, spicy, fatty and oily foods, those can worsen the nausea.
• Ginger helps to reduce nausea. You can try ginger tea, ginger gummies or you can add ginger extract too in your diet.
• Suck peppermint or lemon slices, both help to reduce nausea.
• Get enough sleep and stay hydrated.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks including tea.
• Do gentle exercise (Doctor’s consultation is needed).
• Do not lie down immediately after having a meal.
• Consume of foods which are high in Vitamin B6 (Doctor’s consultation needed).

If you feel nauseated all the time during the 3rd trimester and none of the above remedies are working for you then consult with your doctor as soon as possible.

When Should You Consult with Your Doctor?

In a few cases doctor’s consultation is much required. Along with nausea, if you feel loss of appetite, severe weakness, dizziness or a sudden weight loss and are unable to keep food and fluids then you need to consult with your doctor immediately. It may happen that you are suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum which is a extreme form of morning sickness, that really requires medical treatment.

Final Thought:

Now you know why and how the morning sickness can happen in pregnancy 3rd trimester so it is better not to worry about this. Pregnancy is a gift and morning sickness in the 3rd trimester can appear as a surprise for you but this is absolutely normal. Further, the pregnant woman needs to follow some basic remedies to avoid the syndromes and more importantly staying hydrated is much required as dehydration can worsen the situation for her.

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