Treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum

Hyperemesis gravidarum, or pernicious vomiting of pregnancy, is a complication of pregnancy that affects various areas of the woman's health, including homeostasis, electrolytes, and kidney function, and may have adverse fetal consequences. Recent research now provides additional guidelines for protection against and relief from hyperemesis gravidarum. Alterations to maternal diet and lifestyle can have protective effects. Medicinal methods of prevention and treatment include nutritional supplements and alternative methods, such as hypnosis and acupuncture, as well as pharmacotherapy.     

Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and hyperemesis gravidarum

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible association between Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and hyperemesis gravidarum. STUDY DESIGN: We designed a case-control study to compare the prevalence of H pylori seropositivity in women diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum to that in a control population recruited from 2 university-based clinics, 1 inner city and 1 suburban. Results were tested for statistical significance by chi 2, Student t test and unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Fifty-three subjects (30 inner city, 23 suburban) and 153 controls (75 inner city, 78 suburban) were enrolled. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of H pylori seropositivity between subjects and controls at either site (50% vs. 47%, P = .8 inner city; 17% vs. 13%, P = .6 suburban) or overall (36% vs. 29%, P = .39). In logistic regression analysis only race (African American) and age remained significantly associated with hyperemesis gravidarum, with adjusted odds ratios of 2.45 (95% CI 1.03-5.83) and .91 (95% CI .85-.98), respectively. CONCLUSION: This study found no association between hyperemesis gravidarum and H pylori seropositivity in 2 populations with disparate H pylori seroprevalence.     

Midwifery co-management of hyperemesis gravidarum

Hyperemesis gravidarum is an infrequent, yet significant, maternal complication of pregnancy. Beginning with the frequently experienced nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, symptoms can progress to hyperemesis, a debilitating condition affecting maternal and fetal well-being. A basic understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease process and an awareness of the therapeutic interventions that are available will facilitate midwifery planning for either the collaborative care or the potential referral to medical management, both of which may be required with this clinical entity. The diagnosis and initial management of hyperemesis is within the purview of midwifery care. As certain critical features of duration and severity evolve, medical collaboration and ultimate hospitalization may be required. For those few individuals requiring the most intense level of care, the critical support and encouragement afforded by midwifery participation will contribute to timely resolution of this debilitating condition. This article discusses the continuum from differential diagnosis to ultimate care of the woman who has excessive nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Collaboration among health care providers will allow all to exercise their respective skills in achieving the optimum in safe therapy and support for their patients.     

Recurrence risk of hyperemesis gravidarum

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to describe the recurrence risk for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Methods: Women who registered on a Web site sponsored by the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation as having had one HG‐complicated pregnancy were contacted to follow‐up on a subsequent pregnancy. Participants completed an online survey. Results: One hundred women responded. Fifty‐seven had become pregnant again, 2 were trying to conceive, 37 were not willing to get pregnant again because of HG, and 4 did not have a second pregnancy for other reasons. Among the 57 women who responded that they had become pregnant again, 81% reported having severe nausea and vomiting in their second pregnancy. Among the women reporting recurrent HG, 98% reported losing weight and taking prescribed medication for HG, 83% reported treatment with intravenous fluids, 20% reported treatment with total parenteral nutrition or nasogastric tube feeding, and 48% reported hospitalization for HG. Discussion: This study demonstrates both a high recurrence rate of HG and a large percentage of women who change reproductive plans because of their experiences with HG.     

Recurrence risk in hyperemesis gravidarum

OBJECTIVES: To compare the risk of hyperemesis gravidarum in second pregnancies in women with and without hyperemesis in their first pregnancy, and to determine if this risk changes with changes in paternity or with the interval between deliveries. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Data from the population-based Medical Birth Registry of Norway, 1967-1998. Sample All women in the registry with records of their first and second singleton delivery, a total of 547,238 women. METHODS: The relative risk of hyperemesis in the second delivery was estimated as odds ratios (ORs) in logistic regression models, controlling for potential confounding factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was the risk of hyperemesis in the second pregnancy according to hyperemesis in the first pregnancy, interval between deliveries and change in paternity. RESULTS: The risk of hyperemesis was 15.2% in the second pregnancy in women with and 0.7% in women without previous hyperemesis [OR=26.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 24.2, 28.7]. The OR did not change after adjustment for maternal age, change in paternity, period of the first delivery and time interval between deliveries. After a change in paternity, the risk of recurrent hyperemesis was 10.9% compared with 16.0% in women without a change in paternity [adjusted OR (aOR)=0.60, 95% CI 0.39, 0.92]. The risk of hyperemesis in the second pregnancy increased with increasing time interval between deliveries, but only in women with no previous hyperemesis. CONCLUSIONS: The primary finding was the high risk of recurrence observed in women with hyperemesis in the first pregnancy. The risk was reduced by a change in paternity. For women with no previous hyperemesis, a long interval between births slightly increased the risk of hyperemesis in the second pregnancy. Further studies are needed to explore the relative impact of genetic and environmental factors and their possible interactions in hyperemesis gravidarum.     

Low birth weight and hyperemesis gravidarum

A group of patients suffering from severe hyperemesis gravidarum is defined. In contrast to what is reported in the literature, these women gave birth to babies with lower birth weight when compared to the hospital population and also to women who had a milder degree of hyperemesis gravidarum. This indicates that the metabolic disturbance created by hyperemesis may have an adverse effect on the growth potential of the fetus.     

Hyperparathyroid crisis presenting with hyperemesis gravidarum

Purpose

Primary hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy is a rare condition, and the diagnosis may be confounded by pregnancy related conditions. Since the appropriate management reduces the maternal and fetal complications; differential diagnosis becomes quite crucial.

Method

Clinical course of a patient with hyperparathyroid crisis will be discussed with the review of the literature. A 22-year- old, (gravida 2, para 1) woman was presented with hyperparathyroid crisis at the 11th weeks' gestation. She was hospitalized twice due to hyperemesis gravidarum. When she was admitted to the hospital for the third time due to increased vomiting and weight-loss, serum biochemistry panel was performed and it revealed severe hypercalcemia that serum Ca was 17.59 mg/dl, and she was referred to our hospital as parathyroid crisis. Maternal hypercalcemia was resolved after urgent parathyroidectomy. She was diagnosed as preeclampsia at the 30 weeks' gestation and delivered a male infant weighing 1,090 g at 33 weeks' gestation with APGAR scores 6 at 1 min, and 7 at min 5, without evidence of neonatal hypocalcemia or tetany.

Results

Urgent parathyroidectomy is the definite treatment in symptomatic patients with hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy. Resolving maternal hypercalcemia prevents neonatal tetany and hypocalcemia.

Conclusion

Hyperemesis may lead to hypercalcemic crisis in patients with hyperparathyroidism, so serum Ca level should be checked in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum especially who detoriate rapidly. Although they share some common pathogenetic mechanisms, there is not enough evidence for attributing preeclampsia to primary hyperparathyroidism.     

Wernicke's encephalopathy due to hyperemesis gravidarum

A report of 33 years old female with Wernicke's encephalopathy is presented. The disease was secondary to hyperemesis gravidarum, started from the 6th week of pregnancy. Neurological symptoms as nystagmus, headache, vertigo, disturbance of consciousness and ataxia are described, as well as difficulties in finding out the right diagnosis. We present the therapy with vitamin B1. The subsequent course of the pregnancy was uncomplicated and resulted in a birth--by caesarean section of a healthy male infant, weighted 2790 grams. However, four months later after the delivery, the patient is not yet completely recovered and still demands thiamine supplementation.     

Ghrelin and motilin levels in hyperemesis gravidarum

Purpose

Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secratogogue receptor, and its receptors are found in the reproductive organs and placenta. Motilin is produced from the endocrine cells of the duodeno jejunal mucosa and considered to be a regulator of interdigestive migrating contractions. Aim of this study is to investigate ghrelin and motilin levels in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum.

Methods

A total of 56 patients with singleton pregnancies in the first trimester were recruited in the study, 39 with hyperemezis gravidarum and 17 normal pregnant women. Patients with medical complications and body mass index <18 or >25 were excluded. Fasting plasma ghrelin and motilin concentrations were measured. Fasting blood glucose, liver enzymes, blood urea nitrogen, creatinin, estradiol, progesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin, and thyroid function tests were also investigated.

Results

Ghrelin levels were significantly higher in patients with hyperemesis group than the normal pregnant women (p = 0.025). Serum estradiol levels were also higher in the hyperemesis group (p = 0.001). No significant difference was observed in plasma motilin levels between the two groups. In correlation analyses, maternal ghrelin was positively correlated with estradiol (r = 0.29, p = 0.029) in the whole cohort.

Conclusion

There are a few studies about the course of circulating ghrelin levels during human pregnancy. Ghrelin administration increases food intake through central mechanisms but its effects on appetite in relation to human pregnancy is unknown. The increased levels of ghrelin in hyperemesis gravidarum might be a compensatory mechanism to restore the energy metabolism of the pregnant women.