Relationship between morning sickness during pregnancy and mental health risks revealed
Experts stress the importance of addressing both physical and mental health from the beginning of pregnancy
A study led by King's College London and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust reveals links between severe morning sickness and long-term mental health risks, raising what researchers call "very serious" concerns.
According to experts, this is the largest study of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy never before seen, which analyzed data from 476,857 women with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) across 18 countries.
This follows another recent study, which found that more than half of those affected have considered terminating their pregnancies due to the severity of their symptoms.
Onset of Severe Nausea
Although nausea is common during pregnancy, it's important to note that hyperemesis gravidarum affects 3.6% of expectant mothers and is the leading cause of hospitalization in the first trimester.
Unlike typical morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum can cause prolonged vomiting, dehydration, weight loss, and malnutrition. Many women report feeling isolated, anxious, and unable to function.
Alarming Psychological Consequences
The findings of the British research indicate a significantly increased risk of mental disorders, including a doubling of the risk of depression and a 2.7-fold increase in the likelihood of postpartum depression in women with HG.
They found that women with HG in particular faced more than a 50 percent increased risk of 13 conditions, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and postpartum psychosis.
They reveal that the risks doubled in the case of Wernicke's encephalopathy (a neurological disorder linked to cognitive impairment) of vitamin B1),as well as refeeding syndrome, eating disorders, and depression.
Morrin warns: “Many of these conditions would warrant urgent referral to specialist services for urgent assessment and treatment to ensure the safety of mother and child.”
Need for comprehensive care
Experts stress the importance of addressing both physical and mental health from the start of pregnancy. Women are advised to seek help if they experience symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Both Morrin and Thomas Pollak, a consultant neuropsychiatrist at King’s College London and lead author of the study, advocate for an interdisciplinary approach to enable early identification and referral of psychiatric conditions, highlighting the urgency of recognising and supporting women affected by HG during the perinatal period.
Worrying disconnect
Notably, the study highlights a discrepancy between medical assessments and women’s lived experiences, indicating that the physical severity of HG does not always correspond with the mental health impact, suggesting a need to review diagnostic criteria.
“Our findings demonstrate that this gap is not only real, but can be very serious,” Pollak said. “HG can be associated with serious psychiatric disorders that require urgent recognition and comprehensive physical and mental health care from the beginning of pregnancy.”