Feeling tired in early pregnancy: what to know

Early pregnancy can change sleep, appetite and tolerance of smells, while nausea may make eating and drinking harder. Fatigue can also be worsened by vomiting, low blood sugar, dehydration or an unrelated illness. Food poisoning and gastroenteritis often cause sudden nausea with diarrhoea or vomiting. Acid reflux or gastritis may cause upper-abdominal burning, while gallstones can cause pain after eating. Heat exhaustion may bring weakness, dizziness and heavy sweating. These conditions are not diagnosed from tiredness alone, so timing, pain, fever and fluid intake are useful details.

Rest when possible and rise slowly if you feel light-headed. Take frequent small sips of fluid and try small meals or snacks; plain carbohydrates may be easier during nausea. Keep cool in hot weather and avoid foods or smells that trigger symptoms. Contact your maternity or primary-care team before taking medicines, herbal products or supplements beyond those already recommended for pregnancy. Keep track of vomiting, urine output, pain, fever and whether you can keep fluids down.

Seek urgent care for fainting, severe or one-sided abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, confusion, trouble breathing, a severe headache, high fever, or vomiting that prevents fluids staying down. Contact your pregnancy-care team promptly if dizziness persists, urine becomes very dark or infrequent, or tiredness is unusually severe. Pregnancy can change how quickly dehydration becomes a concern.

Could my nausea, hydration, blood sugar or another illness be contributing? Which fluids and foods are suitable for me? Which pregnancy-safe treatments should I use if vomiting continues?