Motion Sickness During Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Motion sickness when pregnant can cause nausea, dizziness, sweating, and vomiting during travel, even if you did not experience it before pregnancy. Changes during pregnancy may make you more sensitive to movement, increasing the chances of feeling unwell in a car, plane, or boat. The CDC lists pregnancy among the factors that can increase susceptibility to motion sickness (1).

Knowing what triggers these symptoms can make them easier to manage. This article covers the causes and symptoms of motion sickness during pregnancy, along with safe treatment options and practical prevention tips.

What Is Motion Sickness?

The feelings of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness that arise when you are travelling are called motion sickness (2). Where some women may experience motion sickness only during pregnancy, for others the symptoms may become severe during pregnancy. Motion sickness is also known as travel sickness, sea sickness or car sickness, etc.

What Causes Motion Sickness in Pregnancy?

As the name suggests, motion sickness is caused when you travel long distances by various modes of transport. However, following are some of the reasons that cause motion sickness for pregnant women (3):

1. You may experience motion sickness when you travel after eating a big or heavy meal.
2. The inner balance of your ears gets disrupted when you are travelling constantly at a slow speed.
3. When the air around you is stuffy or smoky, it may make you feel extremely nauseous.
4. The most common cause of motion sickness during pregnancy is the confused signals received by the brain. This happens due to the disparity between actual motion and expected motion that is perceived by the balance-sensing system.
5. If the two neurotransmitters fail to function properly, you may experience motion sickness during pregnancy.

Factors That Increase the Possibility of Motion Sickness in Pregnancy

Wondering what leads to morning sickness when pregnant? Here are some factors that can cause motion sickness in early pregnancy, especially (1):

• Not getting enough air while travelling
• Travelling in smoky regions
• Reading while travelling
• Amusement rides
• Virtual reality experiences
• Inner ear imbalance

Symptoms of Motion Sickness When Pregnant

If you are wondering, how you can know if you are suffering from motion sickness, here we have some commonly experienced motion sickness symptoms during pregnancy (2):

1. You may experience dizziness, fatigue, and weakness.
2. You may experience nausea along with a mild headache and a general feeling of discomfort.
3. You may feel dehydrated after continuous bouts of vomiting.
4. In some cases, you may feel extremely anxious and may sweat or salivate excessively.
5. You may keep feeling sick even after the motion stops, though in most cases the motion sickness may subside as soon as the motion stops.
6. Your skin may become paler than usual due to the body’s response to the stress of motion sickness.
7. Your breathing pattern may become faster or shallower as a reaction to the discomfort of motion sickness.
8. You may experience a sense of restlessness or unease, often accompanied by fidgeting or an inability to find a comfortable position.

How Is Motion Sickness Treated?

There are many options available for treatment for motion sickness during pregnancy. Here’s what to take for motion sickness while pregnant (4).

1. Vitamin B6 supplements can be taken to keep motion sickness at bay.
2. You may take antihistamines half an hour before you begin your travel.
3. It is a good option to sit in the front seat in the car or plane to avoid the bumpy ride, which may aggravate your symptoms.
4. There are some acupressure bracelets available in the market, which may help in reducing your motion sickness.

Though the above-mentioned methods may be helpful in warding off motion sickness during pregnancy, it is strictly recommended that you seek your doctor’s permission before adopting any treatment method.

How to Prevent Motion Sickness While Pregnant?

Here are some tips you can follow to prevent motion sickness when expecting.

• Do not read while travelling.
• Do not talk to or watch another traveller who is experiencing motion sickness.
• Avoid smells that upset your gut.
• Drink plenty of fluids while on the move.

Is It Safe for Pregnant Women to Take Medications for Motion Sickness?

You may take medications to cure your symptoms of motion sickness during pregnancy; however, it is advised that you must do thorough research before opting for medicine. It is safe to take medicine but you must exercise caution (5). Also, it is best to get your gynaecologist’s approval before you take any medicine.

Precautions for Taking Medicines During Motion Sickness While Pregnant

Here are some precautions that you need to exercise before taking medicines during motion sickness during pregnancy:

• Refrain from taking Scopolamine during pregnancy. This may not cause harm to your unborn baby but it may cause severe nausea, tremors or dizziness to the would-be-mother (6).
• You may safely take over-the-counter medicines which contain dimenhydrinate in them (7).
• Medicines such as Dramamine is safely used to cure the symptoms of motion sickness for a long time by many pregnancy specialists.

Though these medicines can be safely taken it is recommended to take any of the above-medicines in consultation with your doctor. Every pregnancy is different and your doctor knows what is best for you.

How to Prevent Motion Sickness Without Medicines?

Motion sickness can be a very discomforting and tiring experience for you and thus the best you can do is adopt various ways to prevent it. Here are some measures that you may safely adopt to prevent motion sickness during pregnancy (7):

• Keep sipping water throughout your travel to ward off the symptoms of motion sickness.
• It is suggested to refrain from eating heavy meals before your travels. You should eat a light meal at least an hour before you begin your journey. You may carry light home-made snacks with you also.
• Do not sit on the rear seat of the car or bus. If you are travelling by air, you can request a seat near the wings of the plane.
• It is advised that you sit in a place that is well-ventilated and where you can get some fresh air.
• Refrain from indulging in activities that may trigger motion sickness, such as reading. Instead, you can listen to some music and feel calm and relaxed.
• Take breaks to stretch your legs and get fresh air during long journeys.

FAQs

1. How long does motion sickness last when pregnant?

Motion sickness usually improves once the movement stops, although nausea or dizziness may linger for a short while afterwards. During pregnancy, how long it lasts can vary from person to person and may depend on the type and duration of travel.

2. Can motion sickness be considered a sign of pregnancy?

Motion sickness by itself is not considered a reliable sign of pregnancy. It can happen to anyone and is usually triggered by movement, such as travelling in a car, plane, or boat.

3. Can pregnancy make motion sickness worse?

Pregnancy might not necessarily increase your susceptibility to motion sickness. However, travelling can exacerbate the symptoms if you’re experiencing morning sickness.

4. Can baby’s movements cause motion sickness in pregnancy 2nd trimester?

No, the baby’s movements themselves do not cause motion sickness. Motion sickness usually occurs when your brain receives conflicting signals from your eyes and inner ear about movement. However, as the baby grows and moves more, you may feel abdominal pressure or discomfort, which can sometimes make existing nausea feel worse.

5. Can motion sickness happen in the 3rd trimester?

Yes, motion sickness in pregnancy 3rd trimester is possible. As pregnancy progresses, increased sensitivity to movement and physical discomfort can make travelling more challenging, especially during longer car or air journeys.

It’s not harmful to the mother or baby to travel during the early pregnancy, even if she has motion sickness during pregnancy first trimester. If you have any concerns regarding motion sickness during pregnancy, you should get in touch with your doctor.

Also Read:

Morning Sickness at Night
Is Morning Sickness During Pregnancy a Good Sign?
Home Remedies for Morning Sickness in Pregnancy

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Sources References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Motion Sickness

2. Cleveland Clinic – Motion Sickness

3. National Library of Medicine – Motion Sickness

4. Mayo Clinic – Motion sickness: First aid

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Pregnant Travelers

6. Mayo Clinic – Scopolamine (transdermal route)

7. Harvard Health Publishing – Remedies for motion sickness: What works?