Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) used to be called “Morning Sickness”. Around 7 in 10 or 70% of pregnant women will experience differing levels of NVP.

NVP can often be treated with extra rest, changes in diet and simple over-the-counter medications such as ginger, vitamin B6 and an antihistamine.

A more severe form of NVP is Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). This will affect about 1 in 100 pregnant women. This severe nausea and vomiting can cause:

• weight loss,
• vitamin deficiencies,
• inability to work and care for yourself and your family,
• emotional problems and
• loss of enjoyment of life.

While many women will find that HG stops between 13 and 20 weeks, for some it continues for the whole pregnancy.

The PUQE-24 Score

The PUQE-24 Score (below) assesses your level of nausea and vomiting.

​

A score of 4-6 is Mild; 7-12 is Moderate; and 13-15 is Severe.

If you score 13 – 15 you have severe NVP or HG and should be reviewed by a health professional – a GP, pregnancy care provider or Emergency Department (ED). Further testing is required to assess the level of dehydration and ensure it is not something other than pregnancy causing the nausea and vomiting. If left untreated, HG can cause problems for you and your baby. It is important to book early for antenatal care and visit your GP or ED if you are not coping with the nausea and vomiting.

Ambulatory Care for Hyperemesis Treatment

The following hospitals have Ambulatory Care Units that provide IV hydration to women experiencing severe NVP or HG. To access the service, you will need to be reviewed by a doctor – GP, obstetrician or ED. The doctor will then need to refer you to the service.

Bankstown Hospital Ambulatory Care Unit-9722 8629

Fairfield Hospital Ambulatory Care Unit-9616 8999

Macarthur Ambulatory Care Service (MACS)-02 4634 3600

For more information:

New South Wales Health: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/HG 

MotherSafe- for medication information and counselling: https://www.seslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/royal-hospital-for-women/services-clinics/directory/mothersafe/mothersafe-factsheets 

ForWhen Helpline- mental health support for expecting and new parents: https://forwhenhelpline.org.au/ 

SWSLHD- Booking in My Pregnancy: https://bimp.swslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/#/ 

New South Wales Health- Having a Baby Book: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/MCFhealth/Pages/having-a-baby.aspx