Don't Suffer Through Hyperemesis Gravidarum: What I Want to Share as Someone Who Experienced It and Tips for Getting Through It

Thank you for always reading.

Today, I am writing about hyperemesis gravidarum (morning sickness).

Nausea and vomiting that continue incessantly from early pregnancy. There are times when you cannot eat, and you may even become unable to drink water.

I was also someone who suffered greatly from morning sickness. Above all, the days felt so long.
I would count the days on my fingers, wondering, "How many more days until I feel better?"

Even when I had a miscarriage, the nausea continued for a while after the pregnancy ended. I think that shows just how significant the influence of hormones is.

Generally, my impression is that once you pass around 12 weeks and the placenta is formed, the hormonal state settles down, and for many people, the morning sickness eases.

Of course, there are individual differences; I had a colleague who continued to vomit until she gave birth.

When you become pregnant, many people experience some form of morning sickness. However, when symptoms become so severe that you can barely eat or drink, or you cannot carry on with daily life, it is diagnosed as "hyperemesis gravidarum" and requires treatment.

When morning sickness becomes severe, some people lose 6 to 7 kg or even more.

When it reaches this point, it is not uncommon for IV drips or hospitalization to be necessary.

Medical care has advanced, but even after many years, the basic treatment for morning sickness has not changed much.

I often think, "Isn't there something that can be done?"

What is scary about morning sickness is Wernicke's encephalopathy. It is a disease that occurs due to a deficiency in vitamin B1 because you cannot eat.

That is why the IV drips given at the hospital always include vitamins. If you only receive a glucose drip, the metabolism of that glucose consumes even more vitamin B1, which carries the risk of causing encephalopathy.

In the past, it could not be treated, so
I heard that one of the Brontë sisters, famous for Wuthering Heights, passed away due to hyperemesis gravidarum.

At the hospital, they sometimes check for urinary ketone bodies.

When you cannot eat and your body starts breaking down fat instead of sugar to create energy, ketone bodies increase. This is also a sign that your body is working quite hard.

Tips often suggested for morning sickness include
・Do not let too much time pass without eating
・Keep small rice balls or crackers by your bedside
・Use the refrigerator to keep food smells from drifting
・If you cannot even drink water, get an IV drip at the hospital early

My mouth was also completely dry. When I received an IV drip, I had the sensation of "water soaking into my body," and I still cannot forget that feeling.

And, what I felt was "a little effective" were the sample Ebios tablets I received when I went to pick up my Maternal and Child Health Handbook.

Also, I've heard that ginger is good, and
there are methods like pressing the Neiguan (Naikan) acupressure point or warming the area behind your stomach.

There is evidence that ginger helps alleviate morning sickness, and the brewer's yeast contained in Ebios tablets includes B vitamins, which help support gastrointestinal function and seem to be useful in reducing nausea.

Warming the area behind your stomach can also lead to improved gastrointestinal movement.
For herbal medicines, there is Hangekobokuto, and for antiemetics, there is Primperan.
*Please note that there are individual differences in all of these.

However, having observed this for many years, I feel that morning sickness is not just a physical issue.

Among those who do not seem to get better, there are some who carry various backgrounds, such as "not wanting to go home," "feeling safer in the hospital," "not wanting to return to work," or "worrying about family matters."

Please feel free to discuss such feelings with hospital staff as well. Doctors, midwives, and nurses have a job that supports not only the body but also the person's life.

Also, I think there are some who feel they won't be able to work or commute even after being discharged.

In such cases, there is a way to utilize the Maternal Health Management Guidance Contact Card (Boken Renraku Card) found at the back of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook.

By having a doctor fill it out and submitting it to your workplace, it can lead to accommodations such as reduced working hours or leave of absence.

If you cannot eat, cannot drink, are losing weight rapidly, or are not urinating.

At such times, please do not just endure it thinking "it's just morning sickness," but consult a hospital.

I would be happy if mothers currently suffering from morning sickness could feel, even a little, that "they are not alone."

Thank you for reading until the end. Please also consider liking and following.
Midwife | 40 years of experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tomoko Shimizu