But sometimes the symptoms are so extreme — severe, persistent nausea, vomiting, and weight loss during pregnancy — that it may be diagnosed as a less common disorder known as hyperemesis gravidarum.
Signs and Symptoms of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
- Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, and faint
- Losing more than 5 percent of body weight
- Becoming dehydrated, with signs of dehydration such as dark urine and dry skin
- Electrolyte and nutritional imbalances
- Increased salivation
- Rapid heart rate
- Low blood pressure
- Headaches
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Depression and anxiety
How Is Hyperemesis Gravidarum Diagnosed?
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and order the following lab tests to assess signs of dehydration.
- A complete blood count
- A serum electrolyte test (blood test)
- Ketones urine test (when the body isn't getting enough nutrients, it begins to break down fat, which leads to an increase in waste products known as ketones)
12 Science-Backed Ways to Help You Avoid Dehydration
Prognosis of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Treatment and Medication Options for Hyperemesis Gravidarum
For less severe cases, you may be able to seek treatment at home or at a doctor's office.
While the course of treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum varies from person to person, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following:
- Vitamin B6
- Small, frequent meals that include dry, bland foods such as crackers
- Intravenous fluids to help with dehydration
- For severe cases, parenteral nutrition, in which an intravenous (IV) solution of vitamins and nutrients is given as a substitute for food
Medication Options
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Alternative and Complementary Therapies
- Acupuncture and acupressure
- Hypnosis
- Light therapy (to help with depression)
Prevention of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Research and Statistics: Who Gets Hyperemesis Gravidarum?
Resources We Love
Essential Organizations
HER (Hyperemesis Education and Research) Foundation
This nonprofit organization is devoted to supporting and educating women who are experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum or have gone through it in the past. HER offers comprehensive info on what the condition is, how to manage it physically and emotionally, and the latest research. Different sections for pregnant women as well as their friends and family target and address a range of needs.
National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD)
NORD works with individual patients and organizations to bring awareness to rare disorders. In addition to a highly informative, up-to-date page on hyperemesis gravidarum, this nonprofit also has a resource center for patients and caregivers.
Favorite Podcast
The BMJ Podcast
The BMJ (British Medical Journal) podcasts focus on a variety of health issues. The episode on hyperemesis gravidarum, "The Bone-Crushing Nausea of Hyperemesis," features of panel of experts — women who have had hyperemesis gravidarum themselves and also research or treat it — discussing what the condition is like and how to manage it.
Helpful App
HG Care
UCLA Health partnered with the HER Foundation on this free iOS app for women experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum. It tracks how little (or how much) you've eaten and whether your treatments are working, sends alerts if your weight drops or you're getting dehydrated and need medical attention, reminds you to take meds, and more.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). 2020.
- About Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Assess and Diagnose. HER Foundation.
- Is an HG Pregnancy High Risk? HER Foundation.
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum (Severe Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy). Cleveland Clinic. November 4, 2016.
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum. MedlinePlus. November 23, 2020.
- Fejzo M, Sazonova O, Sathirapongsasuti JF, Hallgímmsdottír, et al. Placenta and Appetite Genes GDF15 and IGFBP7 Are Associated With Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Nature Communications. March 21, 2018.
- Jennings L, Krywko D. Hyperemesis Gravidarum. StatPearls. November 21, 2020.
- Explaining the Cruel Injustice of Morning Sickness. Cleveland Clinic. June 26, 2020.
- About Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Causes. HER Foundation.
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Merck Manual Consumer Version. October 2020.
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Merck Manual Professional Version. October 2020.
- Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy: Treatment and Outcome. UpToDate. October 2020.
- Ginger for Morning Sickness. Michigan Medicine. May 29, 2019.
- About Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Complementary Therapies. HER Foundation.
- Farid H. Hyperemesis: (Way) Beyond Morning Sickness. Harvard Health Publishing. July 9, 2019.
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum (Severe Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy): Prevention. Cleveland Clinic. November 4, 2016.
- About HG for Mothers. HER Foundation.
- Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. MedlinePlus. November 23, 2020.
- Morning Sickness. March of Dimes. September 2017.
- Is Psychiatric Illness a Risk Factor for Hyperemesis Gravidarum? Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health. July 13, 2017.