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One of the expected things - although, not always welcome! - during pregnancy is morning sickness. Usually at around six weeks after conception, the sickness will begin. Some extremely fortunate women will only experience mild to no nausea, whilst others will suffer varying degrees of nausea and actual vomiting. In certain cases the intensity of the vomiting will begin to become concerning and will need medical intervention. This is known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum or HG. A woman will know when she has passed through the realms of normal morning sickness when:

> She cannot keep anything down; fluid or solid and in some cases even her own saliva.
> She feels constant, unrelenting, severe nausea.
> She is vomiting more than ten times in any one 24hour period.
> She is extremely weak and can do almost nothing for herself.
> She will have very dark, concentrated urine which will contain ketones.
> In some cases blood vessels will rupture in the esophagus due to the incessant vomiting.

If a pregnant woman is displaying any of these signs then it is imperative that she seeks medical attention. The Doctor will take her blood pressure and do a urine test to look for ketones. Usually, the woman will be admitted to hospital and administered with an IV drip in order that she can be re-hydrated and given anti-emetics (anti-sickness) medication.

The woman should start to feel fairly normal quite quickly as her body absorbs the vital nutrients from the IV and as her body reacts to the anti-emetics. It is important to be aware that some women will need to try several forms of anti-emetics before she finds one that is successful. These drugs should stop the vomiting, however, mild nausea may still be experienced. A hospital stay can be anything from a few hours to a few days. Usually, if a woman has moderate to severe hyperemesis the hospital visits could be frequent and recurring until the right medication and dosage is attained.

Hyperemsis Gravidarum is a fully debilitating, depressing and draining illness. Many women experience such unhappiness and desperation during their illness that they consider a termination. A woman generally feels like they have absolutely no energy and are constantly feeling and being sick and deep feelings of depression and depressive thoughts. They will feel unable to complete the smallest tasks for themselves and usually become reliant on their family/partner for most things. HG varies in it's levels of severity and in how long it lasts. Some women are sickness clear by 16 to 20 weeks leaving them free to enjoy the final trimester. Others, unfortunately, can suffer until the labour.

The direct cause of HG is unknown. It is thought to be connected to the increase in hormones and the bodies reaction to them. It is widely known, however, that if you have experienced HG once, it is very likely you will experience it during subsequent pregnancies. It is extremely hard coping with hyperemesis, but there is help;

> Do not be afraid to seek medical help.
> Take all help offered from your partner, friends and family.
> The following website is phenomenally helpful with advice, survival tips and forums to chat with other mothers going through HG. www.helpher.org

Learn more about this author, Kerrie Clyde.
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