What is hyperemesis gravidarum?

More than just morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum is an acute condition experienced by around 15 percent of all pregnancies

Kate Middleton has sympathised with a fellow parent as they shared their common experience with acute morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum during a visit she made to a sensory development class.

The mother-of-three suffered with the condition which caused persistent and excessive nausea and vomiting throughout all of her pregnancies resulting in hospitalisation.

At the event, the Princess took time to speak with father-of-four Steve Ikebuwa, whose youngest child, 11mo Nathan has profound learning difficulties.

He explained that like Kate, his wife had suffered with hyperemesis gravidarum throughout her pregnancy.

He later spoke about the meeting, saying: “It was nice meeting her. When I told her about my wife having Hyperemesis gravidarum, it struck a chord with her.

“You could see an expression of ‘I went through that.'”

He added: “She said ‘I had that, I know what it’s like’. You could see her connection to the fact that my wife went through all of that. That really resonated with me. She is a pleasant lady.”

Martha’s battle with hyperemesis gravidarum

When Married at First Sight’s Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli’s shared their big baby news in September 2022, they explained that a “mystery illness” Martha had been suffering was actually a pregnancy related condition called hyperemesis gravidarum: an extreme form of morning sickness that may sometimes requires hospitalisation.

“But at five weeks I was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, which is basically severe chronic nausea and vomiting with no relief. It is like 24/7,” explained the mum-to-be.

Martha continued: “I literally did not get out of bed for two months, I was so sick. I could not eat or drink anything. There were days that I did not even get up to pee.”

The reality TV star’s condition got so bad that she was constantly in and out of hospital, shedding a whopping 10 kilos in just five weeks as she tried to manage the condition.

But what is hyperemesis gravidarum? This is everything you need to know about the condition that, along with Martha, one in 1,000 pregnant women suffer from in Australia alone.

What is hyperemesis?

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is an extreme version of pregnancy nausea or sickness. It can include severe vomiting, usually in the first 20 weeks or so, where you can keep little or no food down.

The continuous nausea and vomiting indicative of HG can result in rapid and significant weight loss (more than 5 percent of pre-pregnancy weight), dehydration, electrolyte disturbances (imbalances in the vital salts that affect all bodily functions), ketosis and acetonuria (presence of ketones in the blood stream caused by lack of glucose in the blood).

These conditions often require hospitalisation to replenish liquids and treat malnutrition, and can lead to emotional exhaustion that leaves many women unable to care for themselves or their families.

What causes severe morning sickness?

To be honest we don’t really know what causes HG, although there are lots of theories – including sensitivity to the pregnancy hormone HCG, or possibly thyroid problems.

In a multiple pregnancy, more hormones are produced, which can lead to severe sickness, especially if you are already sensitive to them.

Is there any treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum?

Initially your midwife or GP will offer the usual advice for pregnancy sickness such as eating little and often, eating dry biscuits or toast when feeling sick, avoiding smells and food which makes you nauseous, wearing acupressure wristbands and resting as much as possible, as tiredness can often make sickness worse.

What if these morning sickness treatments don’t work?

If none of the above stops you from being sick you may become dehydrated, with a loss of skin tone, constant thirst, and concentrated urine – which is usually when admission to hospital is necessary.

The treatment is to replace lost fluids with a drip containing sugar, water and minerals. You may also be given specific vitamins to take and be advised to rest as much as possible.

Are there any drugs to take for it?

For hyperemesis, there are anti-emetic drugs that are safe for you and your unborn baby. They’re administered in hospital to break the cycle of trying to eat and drink then vomiting immediately afterwards.

Will morning sickness meds harm my baby?

Most studies show that being constantly sick won’t harm the baby, except in very extreme cases. Studies have shown that severe cases of HG can lead to pre-term babies.

For more information on HG and the risks involved visit the Hyperemesis Education & Research HER Foundation at www.helpher.org.

Will it happen in subsequent pregnancies?

Unfortunately, severe morning sickness can happen again – Duchess Catherine is an example of this – and is often more severe in subsequent pregnancies.

If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more about hyperemesis gravidarum, book an appointment with your GP or obstetrician now.