HYPEREMESIS GRAVIDARUM IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN EASTERN NEPAL: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.

Background: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is the most severe form of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy which can have potentially dangerous complications if untreated. Its treatment is basically supportive as the condition itself is self-limiting. The aim of our study was to evaluate maternal characteristics in patients with HG including risk factors and treatment outcome with respect to improvement in Pregnancy Unique Quantification of Emesis (PUQE) scores, number of doses of antiemetics used, weight gain during treatment and duration of intravenous fluid therapy

Methods: A cross-sectional study where all women admitted to B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences with a diagnosis of HG during a period of one year were studied for different maternal characteristics. The severity of disease was quantified using Modified PUQE score and the various treatment outcomes considered.

Results: The admission for hyperemesis gravidarum (n=81, including 13 readmissions) was 10.64% of total early pregnancy admissions (n = 735).The condition was more common in nulliparous patients (56%) at a mean period of gestation of 8.93 ± 2.33 wks. Most patients suffered from moderate to severe disease at presentation, mean PUQE scores being 12.29 ± 1.59. The median number of doses of intravenous antiemetics used was three (IQR 3-6), median weight gain was one kg (IQR 0-1 kg), median duration of intravenous fluid therapy was 24 hrs (IQR 24-48 hrs) and mean length of hospital stay was 3.2 ± 1.48 days.

Conclusions: Hyperemesis is one of the common causes of hospitalization in early pregnancy. Treatment has favourable outcome with early recovery.