If you feel nauseous in the first trimester of your pregnancy, you will get reactions like: ‘oh, that’s part of it’. But if you are extremely nauseous, it is different.
Then there is HG.
Can be dangerous
In the Netherlands, more than 130,000 women suffer from some form of pregnancy sickness every year. About half of them even suffer from severe morning sickness and more than 2 to 3.6% experience very severe morning sickness and/or vomiting, also called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). However, this is not always understood. People can’t imagine how miserable you feel as a pregnant woman. And all this while you are not acting in any way. It is a disease that makes you vomit dozens of times a day. You can’t even keep water down.
The closest description is this: ”HG is a potentially life-threatening pregnancy condition, characterized by weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration and loss of functioning in daily life due to extreme nausea and/or vomiting, and can occur over a long period of time. have long-term consequences for the health of mother and baby(s)”.
Incomprehension
”During pregnancy you are faced with misunderstandings about the symptoms of HG and how you feel and deal with them. People can refer to staying in bed as “letting you hang” and that can be very hurtful, because you want to lie down so badly, but you simply can’t do more than lie down. I think we are all no strangers to well-intentioned advice, ranging from “Eat a rusk” to “Turn on the switch, put on lipstick and go shopping”. All this can touch you to the depths of your soul. Sometimes HG also makes you make choices that people cannot understand, such as not wanting to receive visitors because it is too much for you and the sound, movement and smell of visitors makes you even sicker. Unfortunately, there are also situations in which the woman chooses to terminate the pregnancy, a choice that she does not make for nothing, but in which she can also encounter a lot of misunderstanding, which can make this already heartbreaking choice even more difficult. ‘
You can do this against HG
So what can you do about it? Not much.
Extreme morning sickness, such as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), can be very challenging and can lead to serious health problems. If you suspect that you are experiencing extreme morning sickness, it is important to contact your healthcare provider, such as a doctor or midwife, immediately. They can assess the severity of your situation and recommend appropriate treatments.
Here are some general suggestions that may help reduce pregnancy nausea, but it is crucial to seek medical advice for your specific situation:
Hydration: It’s essential to stay hydrated, especially if you vomit often. Sip small amounts of water or other clear liquids throughout the day.
Nutritional adjustments: Try to eat small, frequent meals and avoid large, heavy meals. Choose foods that are easy to digest and rich in carbohydrates.
Ginger: Ginger may help some people with nausea. It can be taken in different forms such as ginger tea, ginger cookies or ginger capsules.
Vitamin B6: Some women experience relief from pregnancy sickness by taking vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), but this should be done under a doctor’s supervision.
Acupressure Bands: There are bracelets available that apply pressure to certain points on the wrists, which may help some women with nausea.
Medicines: In severe cases, the doctor may prescribe medication to reduce nausea. This can range from vitamin B6 supplements to anti-nausea medications.
Hospitalization: In some cases, hospitalization may be required for intravenous fluid administration and other medical interventions. Source: www.zehg.nl
2023-12-06 20:58:18
#Severe #pregnancyrelated #nausea #understood #lifethreatening
