A recent study revealed that when pregnancy nausea goes way beyond the usual “morning sickness,” it can pose serious threats to a woman's mental health.
The condition, which is called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), causes nonstop nausea and vomiting, leading to the loss of electrolytes from the entire body, weight loss, and hospitalization.
For the study, researchers analysed health records from up to 477,000 women across 18 countries and discovered women suffering from HG were over 50% higher risks of developing 13 serious mental health issues, such as postpartum psychosis and PTSD.
Results indicated that their risk of postpartum depression nearly tripled, and their chances of developing an eating disorder more than doubled.
Lead Researcher, King’s College, Hamilton Morrin, stated, “Many of these conditions would warrant urgent referral to specialist services for urgent assessment and treatment to ensure safety of mother and child.”
Moreover, the study associated HG to Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a rare neurological condition caused by vitamin B1 deficiencies.
According to the researchers, even milder cases of HG may lead to a range of problems, such as anxiety, feeling isolated, and overwhelmed.
Researchers strongly advised women with hyperemesis gravidarum to get screened for mental health problems, rather than only getting treated for the physical symptoms.
