Severe nausea, vomiting in pregnancy may raise mental health risks by over 50 pc

Women with excessive nausea and vomiting hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy may be at a 50 per cent high risk of mental health conditions such as postpartum psychosis depression and posttraumatic stress disorder according to a studyHyperemesis gravidarum HG affects up to 36 per cent of all pregnancies HG is the most common cause of hospitalisation in the first trimester of pregnancy and the majority of HG cases but not all resolve in the second trimesterWomen with HG experience prolonged and severe nausea and vomiting leading to dehydration and weight lossIn the study published in The Lancet Obstetrics Gynaecology ampamp Womenrsquos Health UK researchers examined 24 neuropsychiatric and mental healthrelated outcomes reported within a year of diagnosis in 476857 pregnant womenWhilst previous research had shown that women with HG are at an increased risk of anxiety depression and PTSD the new study found over 50 per cent increased risk in 13 conditions including postpartum psychosis and posttraumatic stress disorderThe risks were doubled for Wernickersquos encephalopathy a neurological condition due to vitamin B1 deficiency refeeding syndrome complications arising when food is introduced too quickly to someone who has been malnourished eating disorders and depression particularly postpartum depression which was 27 times more likelyldquoMany pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting but for women with HG this occurs at a level which is far from lsquonormalrsquo and as such it can be profoundly debilitating Many of these conditions would warrant urgent referral to specialist services for urgent assessment and treatment to ensure the safety of mother and childrdquo said Dr Hamilton Morrin Doctoral Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience at Kingrsquos College LondonIn the ICD11 the latest International Classification of Diseases by the World Health Organisation HG is subcategorised into ldquomild HGrdquo and ldquoHG with metabolic disturbancerdquoThe latter is characterised by carbohydrate depletion dehydration or electrolyte imbalance The researchers also examined whether this categorisation is correlated with mental health outcomesImportantly cases of HG with metabolic disturbance perceived as more severe showed significantly reduced risk of depression compared to mild HGThis finding highlights the importance of adequate mental health screening and support for all women with HG regardless of perceived severityThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever