Loss of appetite in the third trimester: what to know

Late pregnancy can make large meals uncomfortable. Heartburn, constipation, nausea, altered taste, tiredness, and anxiety may also reduce interest in food. A stomach infection such as gastroenteritis can cause appetite loss with vomiting or diarrhoea, while influenza or COVID-19 may add fever, aches, or changes in smell and taste. Appetite loss alone does not identify one cause.

Try small meals or snacks every few hours rather than a full plate. Choose foods that are easy to tolerate, such as yoghurt, soup, eggs, toast, rice, fruit, or a sandwich, and include protein when possible. Sip fluids regularly; ask your maternity team which drinks are suitable if vomiting is present. Keep taking prescribed prenatal supplements unless your clinician tells you otherwise, and mention ongoing reflux or constipation at your next contact.

Contact your maternity team promptly if you cannot keep fluids down, are passing very little urine, feel faint, or are losing weight. Seek urgent assessment for severe abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, a severe headache with vision changes, fever with marked illness, or noticeably reduced fetal movement. Do not wait for a routine appointment when you feel seriously unwell.

Ask whether your symptoms suggest reflux, dehydration, infection, or another problem; which foods and fluids are realistic for you; and whether your medicines or supplements could be affecting appetite. Tell them when the change began, what you can keep down, and any change in fetal movement.