Hyperemesis Gravidarum

During my first trimester, feeding was a challenge. I can’t even give a correct account on how many occasions I went without eating because of nausea and vomiting. It reached a point where the only thing that could go down my throat was a banana. And this I took with a lot of spitting.

The nausea and vomiting had become so bad that when I went in for my first ultrasound, the doctor was gambling on whether to admit me or not. The fact that I was expecting twins made it worse as he was convinced that it won’t stop. Nonetheless I managed somehow to convince him that I will take fluids as he had mentioned that I might lose the pregnancy to dehydration. Thus I sort to know more about this condition he had mentioned “Hyperemesis Gravidarum”

What is Hyperemesis Gravidarum?

Well, it’s a Latin name for excessive vomiting in pregnancy. Most of us know it as Morning sickness.

What causes Hyperemesis Gravidarum?

It occurs as a result of the rising levels of a hormone that is produced by the developing baby known as Beta HCG, this hormone is produced early in pregnancy and peaks at around 10 weeks of pregnancy and usually found at very low levels by the 14^th week. Mostly this is during the first three months of pregnancy.

How does it occur?

Typically women present in the 1^st trimester with vomiting especially in the morning, hence morning sickness, this vomiting is also worse with meals. Mostly there are no other associated symptoms.

If the vomiting is severe, the woman may also develop features of dehydration, such as thirst, headaches, dryness of the mouth, confusion and in the very severe case may even go into heart failure, renal failure and though extremely rare death.

Treatment.

In the very mild cases treatment may not be necessary. Like in my case, as much as it was there, I must say compared with the cases the doctor had told me, none matched mine. 

 So,he opted to prescribing some anti nausea and vomiting drugs broadly known as anti-emetics.

Initially we started with Nosic, but it didn’t help much. Then he stepped up to a drug called ondasteron. Well this worked magic on me. I would put one tablet under my tongue and the nausea would disappear. Although there other drugs like diphenhydramine and metoclopramide.These drugs though should be prescribed by your health practitioner.

In the severe and very severe cases admission may be required to enable hydration through intravenous fluids and monitor renal and cardiovascular function.

Usually this condition ends by the end of the first trimester as the levels of Bets HCG hormone goes down. However during this period  follow up is essential to ensure that one doesn’t develop the complications mentioned earlier.