Liver function and Hyperemesis

Amy's Humble Musings has a great post on the subject (make sure to read the comments).

Miscarriage Risks

A new study points to factors that increase (and some that do not increase) the risk of early miscarriage. In addition to the risks to very underweight women, the study says:

Although the reasons behind miscarriage are still vague, the researchers did establish some other common risk factors. The study found that single women were at an increased risk of miscarriage, as were women who had had a previous abortion (60% higher risk) and those who had had IVF (40% higher risk). Those who took more than a year to conceive were twice as likely to miscarry as women who had conceived within the first three months.

The researchers also revealed factors in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Two-thirds of the women they studied who took vitamin supplements during early pregnancy reduced their risk of miscarriage by around 50%. The effect was most pronounced among those taking folic acid or iron and multivitamins containing these. Eating fresh fruit, vegetables and chocolate daily was also found to halve the odds of a miscarriage.

The study also showed that

Women who suffered from nausea and sickness in the first 12 weeks of their pregnancy were almost 70% less likely to miscarry, especially those with severe sickness.

Which is small comfort to those who are severely hyperemetic.

Interestingly, and somewhat reassuringly:

Supposed risk factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking and caffeine intake were unconfirmed in the study.

HT: Perfect Work who has these comments.

Nausea Symptoms Undertreated

The New York Times reports "[a]lthough there are now safe and effective ways to prevent and to treat predictable cases [of nausea and vomiting], like those involving pregnant women and cancer patients, many people who could benefit fail to receive adequate treatment, if any treatment at all."(Nausea? There’s No Need to Suffer in Silence). Even worse,

In a clinical guidance bulletin for obstetrician-gynecologists, the [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists] wrote that an investigator found that among women who called a help line for those with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and who subsequently terminated pregnancy because of these afflictions, fewer than 50 percent were offered anti-emetic therapy.

“Of those offered treatment, 90 percent were offered regimens that were not likely to be effective,” the bulletin says.

Related link: Hyperemesis Education & Research Foundation

Queasy does it

Blogging Baby points to a SanDiego Union-Tribune article on "morning sickness" and hyperemesis gravidarum. The article mentions that author Charlotte Bronte is believed to have died from HG. Didn't know that.

As for me, I still feel a little nauseated in the evenings and occasionally in the mornings. It is a little anoying, as I remember it being all gone by this point in my previous pregnancies. However, it is nothing like the debilitating nausea of the last 3 months, so I'm not complaining. I am actually enjoying food now, even craving foods sometimes.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

How am I feeling? Let's not go there. Instead, let me just give you a few links and you can infer what you will.

Handling Nausea In Pregnancy from plus-size-pregnancy.org, Kmom's great website full of information for moms of all sizes.

Help HER - Hyperemesis Education Research. Probably *the* organization for HG issues. Check out the community forums section of the website.

Baby Center has an active HG bulletin board. Actually, Baby Center has active forums on just about everything. It's a good place to go if you need instant community.