Recurrence Risk of Hyperemesis Gravidarum

The purpose of this study is to describe the recurrence risk for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Women who registered on a website sponsored by the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation as having had one HG-complicated pregnancy were contacted to follow-up on a subsequent pregnancy. One hundred women responded. Fifty-seven had become pregnant again, 2 were trying to conceive, 37 were not willing to get pregnant again due to HG, and 4 did not have a 2nd pregnancy for other reasons. Among the 57 women who responded that they had become pregnant again, 81% reported having severe nausea and vomiting in their second pregnancy. Among the women reporting recurrent HG, 98% reported losing weight and taking prescribed medication for HG, 83% reported treatment with IV fluids, 20% reported treatment with TPN or NG tube feeding, and 48% reported hospitalization for HG. This study demonstrates both a high recurrence rate and a large percentage of women who change reproductive plans due to their experience with hyperemesis gravidarum.