By the time she was pregnant with her third child, another boy, she had found the right treatment and a support network in the form of a dedicated charity, Pregnancy Sickness Support, for which she now works.
The charity has seen visitors to its website swell since Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, was admitted to hospital on Monday in the very early stages of pregnancy suffering from HG.
“Of course it’s unfortunate and sad that the duchess is suffering from this condition but at the same time for the women who are suffering as well it has truly highlighted the situation,” Treagust said.
She said one of the worst things was lack of knowledge about the illness.
“It was scary. Not only do you feel so unwell, but you feel quite isolated as people say, ‘get up and about, get some fresh air, you’ll feel fine. Have some ginger biscuits’. But none of that works,” she said.
Hormonal changes in the first 12 weeks are considered the likely cause of morning sickness, and the symptoms can occur day or night.
“Symptoms (of hyperemesis gravidarum) can include persistent vomiting, dehydration, tiredness and dizziness,” said Daghni Rajasingam, consultant obstetrician and spokeswoman for the Royal College.
“The condition usually subsides by week 12 of pregnancy, and with early diagnosis and treatment there is no reason why we shouldn’t expect a healthy pregnancy,” she added.
A review published by the college’s journal found that in severe cases, morning sickness can profoundly affect a woman’s quality of life, causing “feelings of depression, difficulties between partners and concern for the health of the unborn child.”
But there are several “safe, effective” medical options for dealing with it, including antihistamines as well as, in relatively small doses, vitamin B6, the society said.
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