Loss of appetite at 37 weeks pregnant

In late pregnancy, fullness can arrive quickly because the uterus presses upward on the stomach. Heartburn, constipation, tiredness, anxiety about labour, or a recent change in routine can also make food less appealing. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, or upper abdominal pain point to a different problem and are worth discussing with your maternity team. Reduced appetite does not by itself tell you whether labour is close.

Try small meals or snacks whenever you can manage them instead of forcing a large plate. Choose foods with protein and energy that feel tolerable, such as yoghurt, eggs, soup, toast, fruit, or a sandwich. Sip water regularly; a cool drink, broth, or oral rehydration drink may be easier if you feel nauseated. Sitting upright after eating and avoiding a very large evening meal may ease reflux. Keep taking prescribed medicines unless your clinician tells you otherwise.

Contact your maternity unit or obstetric clinician promptly if you cannot keep fluids down, are passing much less urine, feel faint, have ongoing vomiting, fever, severe headache, visual changes, vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, regular painful contractions, or severe abdominal pain. Seek urgent advice straight away if your baby is moving less than usual or you cannot feel their usual pattern of movements. Do not wait for appetite to return before raising these symptoms.

Ask whether your symptoms could be related to reflux, constipation, infection, or a medicine you are taking. Tell the clinician what you have eaten and drunk, whether you have vomited, and whether your baby's movements have changed. If low mood or loss of interest is making eating difficult, say so; support for Depression can be part of pregnancy care.