Hyperemesis Gravidarum…
Simply Nausea Or Something More?
Hello everyone!
I hope you’re all doing well. As we continue to spread awareness around pregnancy and the challenges that come with it, we wanted to take time to talk about a condition that is often overlooked as simple a symptom of pregnancy. This condition is known as hyperemesis gravidarum.
Hyperemesis gravidarum is marked by severe nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. While nausea and vomiting are a common symptom of pregnancy and have been associated with this process since the beginning of time, hyperemesis gravidarum was first documented in 1852, by Paul Antoine Dubois. Like other conditions caused by pregnancy, the causes of HG are hard to pin down, however, some risks include:
- First pregnancy.
- Multiple pregnancy
- Obesity
- Prior or family history of HG,
- Trophoblastic disorder
Due to the symptoms of HG, a diagnosis is required by a healthcare professional. To be more specific, HG has been technically defined as more than three episodes of vomiting per day such that weight loss of 5% or three kilograms has occurred and ketones are present in the urine. Untreated HG can not only cause complications for pregnant women, but also for their children, specifically causing lower weight and/or premature births.
Treatment of this condition is very manageable, as victims simply need to ensure that they drink enough fluids to stay hydrated and stick to a bland diet to avoid agitating their stomachs. Symptoms of HG also tend to subside after the 20th week of pregnancy but may last the entire pregnancy duration.
If you or a loved one believe you are suffering from this, be sure to bring this to the attention of your doctor. For more information about this condition, please check out the following link: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12232-hyperemesis-gravidarum.
As always, follow myself and NutriNatal to stay up to date on informational posts on pregnancy and its related conditions.
