09/02/2021
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a debilitating form of 'morning sickness' that affects around 1% of pregnancies. Suffering from typical pregnancy nausea and the odd bout of vomiting in pregnancy is bad enough but for some people, having it constantly day and night can really take it's toll emotionally and physically.
There is however, a big difference between regular morning sickness and HG.
The most common symptoms of HG include:
Constant nausea
Vomiting AT LEAST 3-4 times per day. Most with HG will vomit upwards of 20 times.
Inability to keep down any food or fluid - which leads to dehydration
Loss of more than 5% of your bodyweight due to the constant nausea and vomiting
Feeling lightheaded and dizzy
If you are suffering from continuous vomiting, It's really important that you seek help from your care provider if you are unable to keep fluids down as dehydration can set in quickly. For some with severe, cases they will have to be admitted to hospital to be hydrated via a drip. Many cases of HG can be managed with anti- emetics (anti sickness medications) and/or steroids. Some may suggest
vitamin B6 or b12 and even natural supplements such as ginger but for many women with HG, even prescribed medications seldom make a difference. How it's managed very much depends on the severity of symptoms and how it's affecting your pregnancy.
There is a strong link between the pregnancy hormone HCG and nausea/vomiting. It is thought that the higher the level of this hormone, the higher chance you will have of developing HG. Risk factors include: multiple pregnancies (twins/triplets etc), family history of HG and trophoblastic disease which causes an abnormally high level of cell growth within the uterus.
HG very often lasts throughout pregnancy but some people are able to recover after a couple of months. I have been fortunate enough not to have ever suffered with this but I have cared for those who have and it truly is an awful thing for someone to go through.
A note for non sufferers - this condition is debilitating and not the same as the regular morning sickness you may have suffered from or heard of. If you have a friend/relative suffering with any of the symptoms above please suggest they seek help if not already and be as supportive as you can, it really is a rough road for them!
Have you ever suffered with HG? If so what helped you to get through?
