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In 2017 I suffered with hyperemesis gravidarum during my pregnancy. I can honestly say it was the hardest, most painful experience of my life so far. Continuous 24 hour a day  nausea and vomiting left me housebound for months and bedbound for long periods. I was unable to feed myself, wash,  or care for myself and relied entirely on family support. My leg muscles wasted and my teeth suffered acid erosion. I suffered with severe ptyalism, meaning I had to spit continuously into a cup. I was ignored by medical professionals and not given the medication I desperately needed, resulting in severe dehydration and the need for IV fluids in hospital and injections of strong antiemetics.

 Unfortunately this happens to many women, often needlessly. There is a bizarre lack of knowledge about the condition amongst many healthcare professionals, and the disease is often ignored or women are told medication is dangerous to take. This is completely untrue and if it goes untreated it can be very harmful to baby and mother. Before the introduction of IV fluids it was the most common cause of death in early pregnancy.  The isolation can have an enormous effect on mental health and many women become suicidal from the relentless torment. Many consider terminating much wanted pregnancies. There needs to be much more research into the condition and understanding of it.

As it is HG awareness day on the 15th May, Martin and Thom have kindly volunteered to cycle 100 miles each on turbo trainers on the 16th of May and I will run a marathon distance in stages in my daily exercise hours during lockdown by the end of the month to raise awareness and money for Pregnancy Sickness Support, an incredible charity which is a true lifeline for sufferers. They have a helpline, peer supporters, lots of up-to-date research and information about medication. They are involved in ongoing research about the cause and treatment of the condition. Any donations will be hugely appreciated, especially in these difficult times. Thanks!

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