Hyperemesis Gravidarum Awareness Day Date in the current year: May 15, 2024

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a pregnancy complication characterized by severe nausea and vomiting that may result in significant weight loss and dehydration. Hyperemesis means “excessive vomiting” in Greek, and gravidarum can be translated from Latin as “pregnant woman” in this context. Therefore, the name of the condition means “excessive vomiting of pregnant women”.

HG is often confused with morning sickness, but morning sickness is a common symptom present in about 75% of all pregnancies, whereas HG is a health condition that may lead to serious consequences for both the mother and the fetus. Mild to moderate morning sickness does affect the quality of life, but it usually has no long-lasting effects on the mother’s health or the fetus, but hyperemesis may lead to significant weight loss, dehydration, vitamin deficiency, metabolic disorders, and significant physical and emotional stress.

Possible consequences of inadequately treated HG for pregnant women can range from anemia to pulmonary embolism, and infants of women with severe hyperemesis tend to be small for gestational age and have low birth weight. HG can also have a negative effect on mental health; its common secondary complications include depression and PTSD. Due to the severity of its possible complications, HG is treated as a medical emergency; it is the second most common cause of hospitalization during pregnancy after preterm labor.

HG is estimated to affect about 1.5% of pregnant women, although some sources claim that the number can be as high as 3%. Biographers believe that English author Charlotte Brontë died from malnourishment and dehydration caused by HG while four months pregnant, three weeks before she would turn 39. Catherine, Princess of Wales suffered from HG during all of her three pregnancies, and American actress and comedian Amy Schumer had to cancel the remainder of a US tour due to complications from HG she suffered during the third trimester of her pregnancy.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum Awareness Day was launched in 2012 by the HER Foundation. The HER Foundation is a registered charity that focuses on providing education, research, support, and advocacy on hyperemesis, and helping those suffering from the condition and HG survivors. The main goal of HG Awareness Day is to raise awareness of HG and educate the general public on its early signs and management.

There are many ways to observe HG Awareness Day. You can learn more about the condition and share the facts you’ve learned with others, donate to the HER foundation or any other charity that supports HG patients or funds HG research, organize a fundraiser for HG education and research, and spread awareness on social media with the hashtags #HyperemesisGravidarumAwarenessDay, #HGAwarenessDay and #HGAD. If you’re an HG survivor, consider sharing your story to draw attention to the condition and show women suffering from HG that they are not alone.