Digestive & stomach
Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
Nausea in early pregnancy is common, but how much it affects eating, drinking, and daily life varies enormously from one person to the next. At Murray Shore Pharmacy on Bathurst Street in North York, a pharmacist can assess nausea and vomiting of pregnancy under OHIP, gauge how severe it truly is, and make sure the situations that need a physician or hospital are caught early.
Common signs
- Nausea beginning around weeks five to nine of pregnancy
- Vomiting or retching, often worst in the morning but possible any time
- Strong aversions to foods or smells that were fine before
- Difficulty finishing meals or keeping fluids down at times
- Symptoms that ease somewhat as the second trimester approaches
See a doctor instead if
- Unable to keep any fluids down for 24 hours
- Signs of dehydration: very dark urine, urinating little, dizziness on standing
- Weight loss of more than about five percent of your pre-pregnancy weight
- Blood in the vomit, or vomiting with abdominal pain or fever
- New severe vomiting after 20 weeks, which needs prompt medical assessment
Any of these sound like you? Call 416-789-1800 and we will point you the right way — or reach Health811 (opens in a new tab) by calling 811.
How the assessment works
The assessment measures rather than assumes: the pharmacist asks structured questions about how often you vomit, how many hours of the day nausea occupies, what fluids are staying down, and how your weight has moved, building a clear severity picture. Mild and moderate cases are common ground for dietary and lifestyle adjustments, reviewed against your prenatal vitamins and any existing medications, and the pharmacist can prescribe where clinically appropriate under Ontario's minor ailment program. Anything approaching dehydration or hyperemesis goes to your physician, midwife, or hospital the same day, with our notes in hand.
Sources 1, 2Three ways to get started. Do it all from home, or come in.
Start online from your phone, call us, or walk in and ask for the pharmacist. No appointment is needed. When you start online, a pharmacist calls or messages you back to finish the assessment. Prefer email? Write to us.
Frequently asked questions
Plain answers from the pharmacy team. Tap a question to open it.
I cannot get in to see my OB for weeks. Can the pharmacist help in the meantime?
Yes, that gap is precisely where this assessment fits. The pharmacist evaluates your severity now, helps with a plan you can start immediately, and flags anything that should not wait for the OB appointment. Your OB or midwife receives a record of what was done.
When does morning sickness stop being normal?
The dividing lines are function and fluids: if you cannot keep liquids down for a day, are losing noticeable weight, or feel faint and are barely urinating, that is beyond routine morning sickness and needs medical care promptly. Screening for exactly those thresholds is the core of this assessment.
What will the pharmacist ask me?
How many weeks along you are, how often you vomit and when, what you have managed to eat and drink in the last day or two, your weight change, and what you have already tried. Honest, specific answers make the severity call accurate, and the whole conversation happens privately.
Should I bring anything to the assessment?
Your Ontario health card, your prenatal vitamin, and a list of anything else you take. If you know your pre-pregnancy weight, bring that number too; weight change is one of the most objective severity markers we have.
Is there a charge for the pregnancy nausea assessment?
No charge for the assessment itself; OHIP covers it for Ontario residents with a valid health card. If anything is prescribed, the medication cost goes through your drug plan or is paid out of pocket, and we will tell you the price before it is filled.
Do I need an appointment for the pregnancy nausea assessment?
No, though calling 416-789-1800 ahead lets us have the private consultation room ready and keeps your wait short. Walk-ins are welcome whenever the pharmacy is open.
Can the pharmacist prescribe anything for pregnancy nausea?
Yes, where clinically appropriate, treatment may be prescribed under the Ontario minor ailment program. Severe cases, and any of the warning signs above, are referred promptly instead, and your OB or midwife is kept in the loop either way.
What food and daily habits actually help?
Small frequent meals, a plain snack before getting out of bed, sipping fluids between meals rather than with them, and steering around your personal smell triggers all help many people. The assessment turns that list into a plan built around your actual day.
Should I stop my regular medications while I am this nauseated?
Do not stop anything on your own; some medications matter more in pregnancy, not less. Bring your full list to the assessment and the pharmacist will review what you take, including your prenatal vitamin, and flag anything that needs your prescriber's input.
What follow-up happens after the assessment?
The pharmacist arranges a check-in within a few days, because the severity of pregnancy nausea can shift quickly. If you cross any of the thresholds discussed at the visit, such as being unable to keep fluids down for a day, the plan escalates to medical care immediately.
What if I do not have an Ontario health card?
The assessment is billed to OHIP, which requires a valid Ontario health card. If you do not have one, call first and we will explain your options before you make the trip.
Sources & further reading
Numbered references, linked from the sections above.
Your pharmacist is one call away.
416-789-1800 Call nowPrefer not to call? Email info@murrayshore.com or visit us at Bathurst & Baycrest.