Motion Sickness In Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms, And Remedies

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Motion sickness or travel sickness refers to the queasiness or dizziness associated with traveling by train, car (car sickness), boat (sea sickness), or plane (air sickness). This pregnancy sickness may be caused due to the hormonal changes that occur during this period. And for those who generally encounter motion sickness, pregnancy may aggravate the condition.

Keep reading this post as we tell you the causes, risk factors, symptoms, and diagnosis of motion sickness in pregnant women. We also share some tips to prevent or alleviate unease.

What Causes Motion Sickness During Pregnancy?

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You are likely to have motion sickness when you travel long distances. Also, it may be aggravated by various other factors during pregnancy. like some food, any particular smell etc.

• Conflicting signals sent by your senses: Your brain senses movements with the help of signals sent by different parts of the body—your eyes, inner ears, muscles, and joints. During travel, it is probable that the sensory organs will transmit conflicting sensory input to the brain, leading to the possibility of experiencing motion sickness (1). For instance, when you are on a plane, your inner ear can sense motion, but your eyes cannot. Or, when you are in a car, your eyes can sense motion, whereas your inner ear and muscle joints cannot.

• Heavy stomach: When you travel right after a heavy meal, the up and down motion of the body may disrupt digestion, leading to motion sickness (2).

• Polluted air: If you are traveling in an area that has smoky or stuffy air, it could make breathing difficult. Therefore, you may experience nausea and lightheadedness.

• Sometimes a particular type of food or smell also triggers motion sensitivity.

Factors That Increase The Possibility Of Motion Sickness

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Some factors that are likely to aggravate motion sickness during pregnancy include (3):

• Not getting enough air while traveling
• Traveling in smoky regions
• Reading while traveling
• Amusement rides
• Virtual reality experiences

Symptoms Of Motion Sickness During Pregnancy

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Pregnant women suffering from motion sickness are likely to have some or all of the following symptoms (4):

• Dehydration due to continuous vomiting
• Sweating
• Excessive salivation
• Increased sensitivity to odors
• Apathy
• Rapid breathing
• Loss of appetite
• Headache
• Drowsiness
• Malaise (general discomfort) and pallor (pale skin)
• Warm sensation

An astronomy blogger and a mother of two children, shares about her motion sickness during her second pregnancy. She writes, “I have suffered from what most people would call minor morning sickness for most of the first trimester. The first time around this started around week 7 and went on until week 14 or so, and comprised mostly severe sensitivity to smells (no malls, grocery stores, or takeout were possible, and walking down the street was exciting!), constant mild nausea, increased motion sickness, and vomiting 3-4 mornings every week (for 7 weeks!) (i).”

Quick fact

Additional signs of motion sickness during pregnancy include pale skin, and difficulty concentrating (3).

Diagnosis Of Motion Sickness

Motion sickness is usually mild and resolves itself.

You will most likely experience it while you are traveling, and the illness may subside as the motion ceases.

You may need medical attention if the condition persists. Your doctor will find out the cause of the problem (if you have traveled by car, boat, or plane) and ask about the symptoms you are experiencing. Based on the severity, medications are prescribed to help manage the condition.

Treatment For Motion Sickness During Pregnancy

Your doctor usually prescribes antiemetic medication that works for nausea and vomiting (morning sickness). They might ask you to take them before traveling to prevent motion sickness.

• Doxylamine is given in combination with pyridoxine (vitamin B6) to treat nausea and vomiting (5). These medications are absolutely safe in pregnancy and are categorized as FDA category B.
• Meclizine and dimenhydrinate are antihistamines that are useful in preventing and treating motion sickness (6). These are FDA category C drugs.

Tips For Dealing With Motion Sickness

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Here are some simple relaxation techniques that may help if the motion sickness does not resolve or if the symptoms persist.

• If possible, rest by closing your eyes and taking a nap. Take deep breaths or focus on an object.
• Gaze at a stable object, or simply look out of the window.
• Breathe in fresh air and try to avoid smoke-filled areas.
• Ginger is found to be effective for motion sickness (7). It is available in the form of supplements too.
• Acupressure and the stimulation of the P6 point on the anterior wrist may also help ease nausea (8).

Preventing Motion Sickness During Pregnancy

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If you are prone to motion sickness during pregnancy, the following measures could help in preventing it (8).

• Sit in a position such that your eyes can see the same motion as felt by your body and inner ears.
• In a car, sit in the front seat; on a boat, watch the horizon; in a plane, choose a window seat and look outside; and while traveling on a bus, train, or tram, face forward.
• Avoid heavy meals or fatty snacks before traveling.
• Do not read while traveling.
• Do not talk or watch another traveler who is experiencing motion sickness.
• Avoid smells that upset your stomach.
• Drink plenty of fluids.

Quick tip

You can relax by listening to soothing music. Also, frequent breaks would be beneficial if you feel sick or out of breath (9).

Infographic: Tips On Dealing With Motion Sickness In Pregnancy

While pregnant, you may often feel nauseous when traveling in a moving vehicle; nonetheless, you may try simple methods to relieve these symptoms. So, scroll through this infographic to discover the helpful ways to handle motion sickness during pregnancy.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Motion Sickness In Pregnancy: Causes And Remedies

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Dr. Rana Choudhary (Khan)DNB, DGO

Dr Rana Choudhary works at T.N.M.C & B.Y.L. Nair Hospital, Mumbai and holds five years of experience in obstetrics & gynecology. She is also an honorary consultant obstetrician, gynecologist and reproductive medicine specialist at Wockhardt and various other hospitals in Mumbai.

Read full bio of Dr. Rana Choudhary (Khan)

Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

Read full bio of Rebecca Malachi

Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

Read full bio of Swati Patwal

Aneesha AmonzMSc

Aneesha holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from USTM, Meghalaya and Master’s degree in Applied Microbiology from VIT, Vellore. With two years of experience, she has worked on different research projects in the field of Food Sciences.

Read full bio of Aneesha Amonz