Morning
sickness is a condition which is very common in
early pregnancy but it usually goes away by the 4th
month. For some women, the symptoms do occur first thing
in the morning while others find these same symptoms
can come and go or occur during the whole day. Some
75% of women suffer from morning sickness during pregnancy.
There is another level of morning sickness called
hyperemesis gravidarum and while it is estimated that
this extreme type of morning sickness only occurs
in .5 to 2 per cent of pregnant women, it can be very
unpleasant and if untreated, can lead to life threatening
complications for the woman affected as well as her
unborn baby. This condition causes severe nausea and
vomiting that prevents the adequate intake of food
and fluids and can lead to dehydration, weight loss
and nutritional deficiencies as well as other complications
for your and your baby.
If you suspect you have this condition, then contact
your doctor or healthcare provider immediately. If
you are newly pregnant
and do not yet have someone looking after you, then
go to the emergency room.
Your doctor, healthcare provider or the emergency
room will probably give you some intravenous fluids
right away. Tests then follow to determine your electrolyte
levels and to make sure no underlying illness is causing
your constant vomiting. Depending on your condition,
you may need to be hospitalized so that you can continue
to receive IV fluids and medication.
It is more than likely that you will feel much better
once you have been rehydrated and you will then be
able to control your symptoms with anti nausea medication.
In very rare cases, the mom-to-be might need to continue
to receive intravenous therapy on and off either in
the hospital or at home. This condition will always
need careful monitoring by your doctor or healthcare
provider.
The signs of Hyperemesis Gravidarium can
be:
o Severe nausea with persistent excessive vomiting
(more than 4 times per day).
o Inability to keep down even fluids.
o Dehydration, the production of ketones, and a decrease
in urination.
o Either maternal weight loss or the failure to gain
weight - loss of greater than 5% (usually over 10%)
of your pre-pregnancy body weight.
o A rapid heartbeat.
o Headaches and possible confusion.
o Pale-looking and dry skin.
o Nutritional deficiencies.
o Metabolic imbalances and
o Difficulty with daily activities
If you are not sure whether or not you are dehydrated
– here are the signs for this condition:
o Pinched skin which only goes back to its normal
state slowly.
o Flushed and dry skin.
o Decreased tears or saliva.
o A coated tongue.
o Confusion or irritability;
o Infrequent urination which is very dark in color.
HG is not fully understood nor is conclusive research
on its potential cause available. Fresh theories and
findings only substantiate that it is a complex physiological
disease which is likely caused by multiple factors.
Treating this condition is very challenging and the
early intervention and treatment is critical. Any
risks from this condition increase if medical intervention
is inadequate or delayed.
As we have said above, the important thing is to
receive medical attention as soon as possible, as
your chances are then much improved for a healthy
pregnancy right up until your baby is safely delivered.
After your pregnancy is over and in preparation for
any future pregnancy, it is also important to address
any resulting physical and psychological complications
as this condition can affect family relationships
as well as the mother-to-be’s employment status.
Women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum often lose their
employment because of their condition and feel stigmatized
by a disease which many mistakenly consider to be
psychological.
