Hyperemesis gravidarum: A current review

Hyperemesis gravidarum or pernicious Vomiting of pregnancy affects between 0.3% and 2% of all pregnant patients. The objective of this paper is to rev iew current literature pertaining to epidemiology, etiology, symptomatology , complications, treatment, and perinatal outcome of patients with hypereme sis gravidarum. We performed a MEDLINE search of the English literature fro m 1966 through January 2000 utilizing the keywords: hyperemesis gravidarum, nausea and vomiting, and pregnancy. Current data pertaining to epidemiolog y, etiology, clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis, complications , various treatment modalities, subsequent perinatal outcome and recent dev elopments are presented. Review of the literature supports that hyperemesis gravidarum is a multifactorial disease in which pregnancy-induced hormonal changes associated with concurrent gastrointestinal dysmotility and possib le Helicobacter pylori infection function as contributing factors. Therapeu tic key elements are mainly supportive in conjunction with antiemetic medic ation. it appears perinatal outcome is unaffected.