morning sickness

A major cause of morning sickness in the first trimester…

Females typically produce a majority of estrogen in their ovaries. However, in the first trimester of pregnancy, the “corpus luteum” produces estrogen. Some people are more sensitive to this estrogen (as well as the spike in hormones in general). As the placenta develops, it starts to take over the estrogen production which most people are able to tolerate better.

Estrogen increases steadily during pregnancy and peaks in the 3rd trimester to help the body prepare for birth. It’s important during pregnancy as it helps with fetus development, stimulate uterine growth, and assists with developing the breast ductal system.

Estrogen drops immediately after you give birth (which is why people report menopause-like symptoms). It typically levels out after about a year postpartum or 6 months after finishing breastfeeding/chestfeeding.