Health, UK (Commonwealth Union) – A study conducted at the University of Cambridge may have new insights into the causes of pregnancy sickness.
Researchers gave an example of Charlotte Howden who believed she was in good health before entering her early thirties and becoming pregnant. Initially, her pregnancy progressed normally until approximately week six or seven when she started experiencing nausea. At that point, she brushed it off, attributing it to a common aspect of early pregnancy.
About a week later, the severity of Charlotte’s condition escalated dramatically. She began vomiting up to 30 times a day and struggled to keep any food down.
Whenever she attempted to eat, something she desperately wanted to do both out of hunger and pregnancy, it would inevitably result in vomiting.”
Adding to her distress, she couldn’t retain any fluids, not even water. Charlotte now recognizes her condition as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of morning sickness. Strikingly, even swallowing saliva became a trigger for vomiting, and the irony was not lost on her, given that excessive saliva production is a common symptom of HG.
When Charlotte acknowledged that her situation was far from normal, she sought help from her general practitioner (GP).
Their response was, ‘There’s nothing they can do for her. They asked her if she tried ginger as well as asking her to limit your daily activities to manage this better. She was also told to consider eating small, frequent meals.
Despite following the GP’s advice, Charlotte’s condition persisted. It was only after returning and undergoing a urine test to measure ketone levels, indicative of dehydration and a potentially serious problem, that she received a diagnosis. The challenge lay in taking the test, given her difficulty in consuming fluids.
A subsequent ketone test revealed a glaring issue, prompting an urgent hospital visit.
Charlotte found herself in the early pregnancy ward, an experience she describes as traumatic.
She describes being surrounded by women experiencing pregnancy loss while still being very much pregnant. She described a dismissive atmosphere, as if to say, ‘they just have morning sickness.
After rehydration and discharge, she fell ill again, leading to repeated readmissions and taking a toll on her well-being.
Finally, reaching a breaking point, she pleaded with the consultant during her third hospital visit, expressing her inclination towards termination. The consultant, after some insistence, provided medication that brought relief for 12 hours. However, getting a repeat prescription from her reluctant GP proved challenging upon discharge.
Engaging with the charity Pregnancy Sickness Support, Charlotte became part of a dedicated group of approximately 600 volunteers providing peer support and managing telephone helplines. Currently serving as its Chief Executive, she leverages her role to increase awareness of the condition among women and healthcare practitioners, advocating for the inclusion of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) in all midwifery courses.
Charlotte remains optimistic that the recent study will pave the way for effective treatments and perhaps even preventative measures for HG. She expresses gratitude to Professor O’Rahilly and Dr. Fejzo for their significant contributions, especially for taking the condition seriously.
“When you are suffering from a condition and no one can tell you why, you start to think, oh, is it me? Is it something I’ve done?” she says.
“I’m so grateful for the dedication of the researchers, because this isn’t a condition that really ever made the headlines until the now Princess of Wales suffered with it. It wasn’t an area of research that people were really interested in. It was just morning sickness – why should we care?”
The study was a collaborative effort among researchers from the University of Cambridge, University of Southern California, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, and Kelaniya University in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
