What Is Hyperemesis Gravidarum?
With my first pregnancy I was so incredibly sick!! Even before I got a a positive pregnancy test the first time, I was feeling sick and nauseous. Things continued to ramp up to where I was throwing up 8-10 times a day. I was able to keep liquids down, but food was a challenge and I couldn’t even think about setting foot in our kitchen.
After losing 20 lbs those first few weeks, I started thinking I might have cholera (life in Africa ya’ll!!) so I went to the doctor. She immediately diagnosed me as having HG, gave me medicine and sent me home to rest. Medication mostly made me sleep, but it helped me stop losing weight and start keeping food down. Once I hit 18-20 weeks, I felt so much better! I went on to need anti-nausea medication till about 16-18 weeks during my next two pregnancies as well , but mysteriously had minimal nausea and vommiting during my most recent pregnancy with Cyrus.
Morning sickness is one thing. Hyperemesis Gradvidarum (HG) is quite another!! According to The Cleveland Clinic, HG is typically characterized by:
vommitting more than 3-4 times per day
rapid weight loss of more than 10 pounds
feeling dizzy and lightheaded
becoming dehydrated.
HG is often underdiagnosed because women wrongly assume the severity of their symptoms is normal and/or the severity of their symptoms is too quickly dismissed by their OB/GYN or Midwife. Another hinderance to seeking treatment is that many expectant parents often fear the potential side effects of medication that might be prescribed.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that, “Once nausea and vomiting of pregnancy progresses, it can become more difficult to control symptoms. Treatment in the early stages may prevent more serious complications, including hospitalization.”
If you are experiencing severe nausea or vommiting and unable to keep down any liquids or food, please contact your healthcare provider right away. The dangers of dehydration and malnourishment for you and baby are not to be ignored. There are behavioral practices, natural remedies, and prescription medication that can help you get relief. Don’t wait and suffer in silence!
Learn more about HG on this episode of the Happy High-Risk Pregnancy Podcast.
Have you experienced Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) before? What was most helpful for you?