New Delhi, Sep 20
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 post-partum psychosis, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a study.
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) affects up to 3.6 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 trimester.
Women with HG experience prolonged and severe nausea and vomiting, leading to dehydration and weight loss.
In the study, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, UK researchers examined 24 neuropsychiatric and mental health-related outcomes reported within a year of diagnosis in 476,857 pregnant women.
Whilst 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 post-partum psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder.