“Morning Sickness”, or as we prefer to say, Pregnancy Sickness (as it is rarely confined to the morning) is a fairly normal part of pregnancy, affecting up to 80% of pregnant women. Although it is generally considered pretty unpleasant it should not interfere with a woman's ability to function normally and her ability to eat and drink normal normally. When mild, pregnancy sickness, can be improved with a range of self help techniques such as eating little and often, resting, avoiding triggers such as odours and caffinated drinks and possibly with remedies such as ginger (as a 250mg capsule 4 times a day... not as a ginger biscuit!).
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a severe complication of pregnancy and NOT a normal part of it. When a woman had HG she will find normal functioning very difficult and struggle to maintain adequate food and fluid intake. Women can experience vomiting in excess of 30 times per day, dry retching and feel severely nauseous constantly. The condition is characterised by dehydration and weight loss of more than 5% of pre-pregnancy weight (weight loss can be up to or in excess of 20% of pre-pregnancy weight. Other symptoms women with HG may experience include extremely heightened sense of smell, extreme fatigue, headaches, depression and extreme isolation.
HG can lead to more severe complications including oesophageal tears, muscle wasting and risk of DVT from bed rest, serious vitamin deficiency from excessive vomiting and complications from extreme dehydration. Recent research has shown increased risk of placental abruption and small for gestational age babies in cases of HG continuing in 2nd trimester. Before IV fluid was introduced HG was the leading cause of death in early pregnancy.
How common is it?
HG affects 1-2% of pregnant women. Extreme pregnancy sickness, which does not result in hospital admission, may affect many, many more pregnant women and countless number of pregnant women are suffering at home without treatment. If your mother or sister had HG your risk of having it increases to 30-35%
Do we know what causes it?
The exact mechanism of pregnancy sickness is not fully understood but it is suspected that it is due to the hormones produced during pregnancy, which are at their highest levels in the first trimester. (for interested healthcare professionals there is further information on the PSS website)
What treatment is available?
There are a number of treatments available and there is information about the various options on our website. Initially though, an old fashioned antihistamine, such as Cyclizine combined with Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) is thoroughly proven to be safe and effective; it is these components that make up a drug called Diclectin which is licensed in Canada for treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy! If this treatment is started early it is very safe and effective. In subsequent pregnancies using this pre-emptively is found to significantly reduce the severity of the condition.
However, for many women these drugs alone are not enough and in these cases there are a range of other treatment options from metocloprimide to ondansetron and steroids. All treatment options should be tried before a woman faces the final "treatment" - termination.
What is PSS?
Pregnancy Sickness Support is the only national charity for Pregnancy Sickness and Hyperemesis Gravidarum. It aims not only to provide information and support for women suffering with the condition and their carers but also raise awareness both in the public and within the medical field about this little known and often misunderstood condition. They are involved in ongoing research and provide information and education to the public, healthcare professionals and the media.
How important is family and friend support and what does PSS offer?
Support is hugely important, in fact, it cannot be overstated. The condition is so massively debilitating and in first pregnancies can be sudden, totally unexpected and really quite scary. What was supposed to be a happy and exciting time can rapidly become a horrible depressing nightmare! Often the nausea is just as bad, if not worse than the vomiting and it can be hard for people around to understand because they can't see it. HG is hugely isolating as the sufferer is often bed-bound and well meaning comments such as trying alternative therapies, getting fresh air or thinking positively can really add to that sense of isolation as it highlights to the sufferer that no one understands how seriously ill they feel. The reality is that it is very hard to understand if you have not been through it and that is why I have helped to developed a national peer support network of women who have suffered HG and want to support others suffering. PSS can provide telephone, email or text support and on occasion supporters may visit sufferers at home or in hospital. They also provide information leaflets and have an online support forum on their website.
What is PSS?
Pregnancy Sickness Support is the only national charity for Pregnancy Sickness and Hyperemesis Gravidarum. It aims not only to provide information and support for women suffering with the condition and their carers but also raise awareness both in the public and within the medical field about this little known and often misunderstood condition. They are involved in ongoing research and provide information and education to the public, healthcare professionals and the media.
How important is family and friend support and what does PSS offer?
Support is hugely important, in fact, it cannot be overstated. The condition is so massively debilitating and in first pregnancies can be sudden, totally unexpected and really quite scary. What was supposed to be a happy and exciting time can rapidly become a horrible depressing nightmare! Often the nausea is just as bad, if not worse than the vomiting and it can be hard for people around to understand because they can't see it. HG is hugely isolating as the sufferer is often bed-bound and well meaning comments such as trying alternative therapies, getting fresh air or thinking positively can really add to that sense of isolation as it highlights to the sufferer that no one understands how seriously ill they feel. The reality is that it is very hard to understand if you have not been through it and that is why I have helped to developed a national peer support network of women who have suffered HG and want to support others suffering. PSS can provide telephone, email or text support and on occasion supporters may visit sufferers at home or in hospital. They also provide information leaflets and have an online support forum on their website.
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