Mega Doctor News
Texas Medical Association (TMA)
Mothers-to-be suffering severe nausea, vomiting, and weight loss – to the point of being incapacitated – might have a more serious condition than ordinary morning sickness many women experience during pregnancy.
It could be hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe pregnancy condition that can be life-threatening for the mother and the baby.
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) is raising awareness about the condition since symptoms are often present before a woman’s first prenatal intake appointment with a physician. May 15 is Hyperemesis Gravidarum Awareness Day.
Kathryn Clarke of Austin experienced the debilitating effects of HG. By the fifth week of her pregnancy, she recalls being “incredibly nauseous,” with constant vomiting that prevented her from keeping down food. Even drinking water became a challenge, as she struggled to retain fluids. As the TMA director of Clinical Practice and Quality and member of the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation advisory council, she seeks to raise awareness about the condition.
“I couldn’t leave my bed. By week 10, I was down 18 pounds from where I started my pregnancy,” said Ms. Clarke.
She visited the emergency room twice before her scheduled initial appointment with her obstetrician-gynecologist, but each time was told she had morning sickness, given anti-nausea medication and fluids, and sent home.
Maternal and fetal care specialist Kenneth Higby, MD, had a patient with HG who also lost 18 pounds, but in just two to three weeks. “The electrolyte imbalances and deficiencies in vitamins can cause significant harm to the mother if it’s not treated appropriately and quickly enough,” said Dr. Higby.
At least 60,000 cases of HG are reported in the U.S. each year, but the actual number is likely much higher. Many cases go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and some women endure the condition at home without adequate clinical support – attributing symptoms to common pregnancy nausea. Optimal treatment can include outpatient infusion therapies to manage dehydration and nutritional deficiencies.
Dr. Higby says there is not enough awareness about HG, even among some physicians.
“A lot of obstetricians don’t see pregnant women until much farther along in pregnancy, but this occurs very early in pregnancy. So, the patient is at risk of seeing a family physician or an ER physician who knows very little about this disorder,” he said.
Both Dr. Higby and Ms. Clarke are working to educate physicians and patients about HG. Dr. Higby has created a continuing medical education course for physicians that discusses screening techniques and evidence-based treatment strategies.
Ms. Clarke provides support to women with the condition, sharing her story so they know they are not alone. About her struggle with HG, she tells them, “It was depression, it was anxiety. There were times when I thought either my baby or I were going to die.”
After she gave birth, the HG symptoms went away. She and her little girl are now healthy and happy, “But I am still left with that mental toll of what happened,” she said.
To hear more from Ms. Clarke and Dr. Higby, listen to TMA’s podcast on HG.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 60,000 physician and medical student members. It is in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
Information source: Texas Medical Association (TMA)
