Why Not Having Morning Sickness Isn't Cause for Concern

If you're in your first trimester but haven't had even a hint of queasiness or a bout of vomiting, all the other expecting parents-to-be are likely green with both nausea and envy. But you might be worried. The problem is that if you're not having any symptoms of morning sickness, you might start wondering whether your baby is OK—or if the absence of morning sickness signals something is wrong.

Thankfully, there's no need to worry if you have no morning sickness at 6 weeks or beyond. While we tend to equate nausea and tummy troubles with early pregnancy, not everyone experiences those symptoms early on (or ever). In fact, nearly 30% of pregnant people have no morning sickness at all, says Michele Hakakha, M.D., FACOG, an OB-GYN in Beverly Hills and author of Expecting 411. "And that's definitely something to be happy about," she notes.

So, who are those few who avoid weeks-long nausea? Frankly, it could be anyone. "Some women may experience morning sickness, and some women may not. Some women have it in one pregnancy and not the next," says Marra Francis, M.D., an OB-GYN in Helotes, Texas, and a contributing author to the Mommy MD Guides. "Not everyone experiences morning sickness, just like not everyone gets motion sickness."

If you don't experience morning sickness, your body just might be better able to handle the rapid rise in levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), estrogen, and other hormones that come during the first trimester. Hormone levels spike quickly during pregnancy—the levels of hCG alone typically double every 48 hours in the first weeks of pregnancy—and, just like a quick ride on a roller coaster, this rapid rise can make your stomach churn. Once you hit the second trimester, those hormone levels, while still increasing, taper off to a more manageable level.

Sometimes, however, a lack of morning sickness could be because hormone levels are much lower than normal, which may indicate an increased risk of miscarriage, but that is usually not the case. Indeed, you shouldn't worry about not feeling morning sickness as long as you are not experiencing signs of miscarriage and your prenatal health care provider thinks your hormone levels look good.

"I've had women who freaked out because they didn't get morning sickness because they thought they were at higher risk of having a miscarriage," says Dr. Francis. "But if you don't have morning sickness, it doesn't mean that you have abnormal hormone levels; it just means that you tolerate [pregnancy] better."

It's also possible that the nausea is just a bit delayed. Although most pregnant people experience morning sickness experience it between 6 and 14 weeks of pregnancy, every person and every pregnancy is different, and you may find that you develop pregnancy-related sickness later. But if you make it to your second trimester with no nausea, it's more likely that you're just one of the ones who simply won't experience morning sickness.

So if you're nausea-free in your first trimester, you can let go of your worries. The lack of morning sickness isn't a sign of trouble—and may very well make those first weeks of pregnancy a bit more pleasant.