x
Breaking News
More () »

It’s Not Just Morning Sickness

Most women who’ve been pregnant have experienced some form of morning sickness.  But there’s most morning sickness, and then there’s hyperemes...

Most women who've been pregnant have experienced some form of morning sickness.  But there's most morning sickness, and then there's hyperemesis gravidarum, the condition making headlines recently because Duchess Kate is now suffering from it for the second time.

Nausea is a symptom that's very common among pregnant women, according to Dr. Hans Cassagnol.

"About 80% of people that become pregnant have some kind of morning sickness," he said.

Dr. Cassagnol is Associate Chief Quality Officer at Geisinger Health System, and a practicing OB-GYN.

Normally, he says, the queasiness that many pregnant women feel goes away by about 16-to-20 weeks.   A few will experience more severe symptoms, and a small portion of those women require extended medical care, a diagnosis called hyperemesis gravidarum.

"Nausea in pregnancy, especially early, is very common.  Actual vomiting throughout the pregnancy, especially after the 16-20th week, is uncommon," he said.

In fact it's the vomiting that is one of the hallmarks of HG, which you may have heard of lately thanks to Prince William's wife Kate Middleton, who was hospitalized during her first pregnancy with the illness, and again now that she's early in her second pregnancy.

The condition itself is miserable for mom, but Dr. Cassagnol says medically, the only worry with HG - as with typical morning sickness - is dehydration, not nutrition.

"I recall one of my patients, the only thing she could tolerate for 12 weeks was cherry ice cream. She ate it for 12 weeks! Obviously that's not the healthiest diet for a lifetime. But for a 12-week period, it that's how you can get calories and protein in, and some hydration, it's totally perfect."

 

Before You Leave, Check This Out