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Article Extreme Morning Sickness Pushing Women To Consider Ending Pregnancies

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For many women the early weeks of pregnancy includes some bouts of morning sickness, that eventually stop. But for others it’s a never-ending cycle of extreme nausea and vomiting so severe that they consider ending their pregnancy.

A new study has revealed the shocking impact of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, on expecting mums in Australia.

More than half of women dealing with the extreme morning sickness reported they considered terminating their pregnancy. While nine out of 10 said they’d thought about not having any more children.

“Hyperemesis gravidarum is not just morning sickness—it’s a serious condition that can have devastating consequences for women’s mental health, relationships, and decisions about future pregnancies,” explained lead author Associate Professor Grzeskowiak.

The pharmacist and researcher from Flinders University said the findings also identified the mixed effectiveness of current treatment options.

“Our study shows that many women are not getting the support or relief they need, and that’s something we must urgently address,” he said.

The survey of 289 Australian women found:

  • 54% considered terminating a pregnancy because of HG symptoms.
  • 90% considered not having more children.
  • 62% reported ‘often’ or ‘always’ feeling anxious or depressed during pregnancy.
  • 37% requested an early induction of labour to end their pregnancy sooner.

And only half of the women surveyed said the commonly-used treatments for HG were effective.

The women reported that ondansetron, doxylamine and corticosteroids were the most effective medications, but they reported significant side effects, including constipation, sedation, and impaired cognition.

Almost one-third of women stopped using another frequently used drug, Metoclopramide, because of adverse effects.

“Women are often prescribed multiple medications in an attempt to manage their symptoms, but the reality is that many of these treatments come with their own burdens,” said Associate Professor Grzeskowiak.

“We need better evidence to guide treatment decisions and ensure women are supported to make informed choices.”

Study co-author, Caitlin Kay-Smith, founder of consumer organisation Hyperemesis Australia, said the findings should shine a light on how HG is treated and managed.

“We need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and toward personalised care that recognises the full impact of HG,” she said.

Did you suffer from severe morning sickness? What worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.

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Comments

  • No, I have not had extreme sickness. I can’t imagine how bad it must be. Considering terminating the pregnancy because of this is extreme but shows just how horrible it is for some. My heart goes out to them and I hope they can cope and have a healthy baby at the end.

    Reply

  • I have been very lucky not to have suffered from HG during my pregnancies, not even mild morning sickness ! But it is so sad to read that those who suffer or suffered HG are feeling that they are not getting the support or relief they need as I do believe it is extremely impacting.

    Reply

  • This makes me realize how lucky I was during my pregnancy. I had a slight case of morning sickness for a couple of weeks.

    Reply

  • The whole approach to Western pregnancies, and women’s wellbeing in general, needs a complete flip! What we expect mother’s to endure is horrible! I’m lucky that despite being high risk everything at 45, my pregnancy went well with only 2 dry reaching episodes! But it really surprised me how common this was in my mother’s group afterwards! It’s ghastly!

    Reply

  • I found when this happened to me that some people were incredibly supportive and understanding and some were quite the opposite; incredibly dismissive and rude. Suffering with all day sickness because it sure lasted all of the time was hideous and impacted quite heavily. Women do need understanding and care during pregnancy.

    Reply

  • This is not exactly new information, and one of the reasons it’s been so poorly managed is that of course it’s a condition that only affects women! I was lucky to suffer only “normal” morning sickness in each of my pregnancies (though for one it was afternoon sickness, 3pm every day on the dot).

    Reply

  • Unfortunately I struggled with every pregnancy and it really was a tough journey. I had the support of my partner and GP but it was still a very difficult time. Medication did indeed come with many issues and medical intervention and hospital was an emotional roller coaster. I knew it was not forever but it really did take a huge amount of strength and resilience to get through each pregnancy. I have every sympathy for other mums that also go on this journey.

    Reply

  • Oh that’s awful!! I didn’t suffer from this no but I do know what it feels like to be unwell for a long period of time and it’s not fun! I’m glad there is awareness being raised for it because I have two daughters and I wouldn’t like to see them experience this!

    Reply

  • No, thank God I didn’t suffer from severe morning sickness during my pregnancies. But a close friend of mine did suffer HG, in fact she spent the majority of her pregnancies in the hospital and I remember how depressed she was. She said that she wouldn’t want to get ever pregnant again, but once bub arrived she was head over heels in love and went on to have two more children

    Reply

  • Although ive been considered quite lucky with both my pregnancies with no vomiting and the occasional nausea feeling, i know of women who have had HG throughout their whole pregnancy and it is definitely no joke. I cant even imagine the feeling and pain going through the whole pregnancy, and not just the first trimester. More research is needed in this field for sure.

    Reply
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