So Your Misses Got Hyperemesis (Gravidarum)

Wikipedia defines hyperemesis gravidarum as follows:

“Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a pregnancy complication that is characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and possibly dehydration. Feeling faint may also occur. It is considered more severe than morning sickness. Symptoms often get better after the 20th week of pregnancy but may last the entire pregnancy duration.”

And here’s my definition, as the partner of a woman who actually had it:

“The horrendous pregnancy that caused my wife relentless nausea for months turned all the trash cans in the house into vomit buckets, led us to spend every other day in the emergency room, and also to an early birth.”

What does it mean?

Bottom line, and as you probably already understand, hyperemesis gravidarum is quite a wreck. Throughout 31 weeks (until birth), my wife was incapacitated due to relentless nausea and severe vomiting. There were days when she suffered from 10 episodes of vomiting a day, and we talked to women who vomited even 30 times a day.

Throughout this entire period, my wife couldn’t work, or even get up from the couch. And she suffered. Oh, how she suffered.

How much did she suffer?

Here’s the pain map courtesy of hyperemesis, illustrating what your spouse may experience:

• Head: Aching from dehydration and stress
• Mouth: Dry from lack of hydration
• Throat: Dry from lack of hydration, burning from stomach acid
• Ribs: Muscles strained from vomiting
• Diaphragm: Aching from vomiting, may also be strained due to some of the medications that ease nausea
• Hands: Like Swiss cheese, numb from IV needles
• Stomach: Rumbling from hunger, strained from vomiting, heavy from constipation caused by some of the medications that ease nausea
• Back: Because in addition to all these, it’s still pregnancy…

In other words, your wife isn’t lying. Hyperemesis gravidarum is far from fun.