Comments on: Mom Forced to Deliver Baby At 28 Weeks After Losing 42 Pounds

By: Kaylee Docker

Kaylee Docker — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:24:14 +0000

Hi, Interesting story but no new medical info.
I had suffered from terrible morning sickness in my first two pregnancies. Lately, I had found the perfect cure for morning sickness and it worked — I am now in my third pregnancy
read about it here - http://www.nomoremorningsickness.com

By: Lauri

Lauri — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:32:11 +0000

Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a very dangerous medical condition. It can put the mother and child at serious risk. I had HG for both my pregnancies. Unfortunately during my first pregnancy the severe vomiting, dehydration and weightloss resulted in my daughter being stillborn at 23 weeks even though I was on 4 anti-nausea drugs and eventually had a picc line for total nutrition. I was seeing my OB every week but effective intervention did not come quickly enough. I think the Fox doc and commentator were much too lighthearted considering how serious an illness this can be. HG can last an entire pregnancy and vomiting can last all day, every day. It is a crisis when you can not keep food down. Mom and baby really suffer. I was a healthy woman of normal weight prior to my pregnancies. I took prenatal vitamins prior to my pregnancies and throughout (as best I could keep them down). Fortunately for my second pregnancy I was referred to high risk OB services at a Boston Hospital with specialists who knew more about HG. The early care was throrough with antinausea meds, picc line for hydration, etc, etc. My second daughter was born healthy and full term. Yet even still during that pregancy I was losing weight and vomiting for 7.5 mos. For more info on HG, visit the Hyperemesis Research Foundation http://www.HER.org.

By: Lauri

Lauri — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:20:11 +0000

Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a very serious medical issue that can be a crisis for mother and baby. The FOX doctor and newscaster should have shown more empathy for the patient with this severe illness. HG can last all 9 mos and is much worse than regular morning sickness. It can put mother and baby at severe risk. After 6 mos of severe HG my first daughter was stillborn. Up to that time, I was on five different antinausea pills and finally a picc feeding line with TPN (total nutrition via tube). After 3 mos, I saw my OB every week but it was too late by the time my docs did the best interventions. Too much trauma had occured with the severe weight loss, dehydration, etc. For my second pregnancy, I went to a great high risk pregancy care center at a Boston Hospital. They were much better prepared and knowledgeable. I think the FOX doc could have been a little more educated and compassionate. It was not a news segment to be joking about as he and the commentator did so readily. I was healthy and a normal weight before my pregnancies. HG devastates your body. Fortunately my second daughter was born healthy. I was on IV meds and a picc line for 7.5 mos. Thank goodness for the specialists who know how to treat HG. A foundation focused on info and research for HG is http://www.HER.org , the Hyperemesis Research Foundation. God Bless all moms and families who have suffered through this illness.

By: J

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:54:05 +0000

The author and editor of this story ought to educate themselves about the difference between morning sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum. Morning sickess is to hyperemesis as a headache is to a brain tumor.

I am thankful Ms. Shaw and her daughter survived. It is unfortunate doctors did not intervene sooner so her baby did not have to be delivered at 28 weeks.

By: Kat

Kat — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:34:27 +0000

I know how she feels. I had three children 20+ years back. I miscarried one. All during the time carrying my babies; I was sick. Crackers didn’t work and even water. With the last one, I was hospitalized 5 times for dehydration. My babies were all fine. I lost so much weight, I looked like a very skinny model(LOL). But after the last full term baby, I called it quits on having more children because I had three that needed me.

The doctors never told me the name of this condition but treated me according to what was known back then. I was fortunate to have a very carry group of doctors.

Best Wishes and enjoy your new baby girl.

By: Pam Palmer

Pam Palmer — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:28:59 +0000

I lost 26 pounds during my first pregnancy and was hospitalized 6 times for dehydration. Then two and a half years later, I lost 21 pounds durng my second pregnancy and was hospitalized 5 times. I stayed sick for 9 months. I couldn’t even eat ice chips.

By: Donna

Donna — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:10:23 +0000

“Unheard of”!!!, only an uneducated doctor should be making that type of statement. I myself lost over 35 pounds during my last pregnancy thanks to this same disease which is, absolutely, NOT mornining sickness. While some symptoms are similar the degree of illness and the addition of other symptoms make Hyperemesis Gravidarum something completely different. I certainly would have lost an even greater amount of weight if I had stayed with my first doctor who was not knowledgable about this disease. I survived only because I switched doctors, had 24 hr IVs through a PICC line while on home health care for over three months and took more meds than I ever thought I’d put into my body. I’m happy to report that although I was sick for the entire pregnancy I was able to deliver a healthy, full-term daughter. Both the reporter of this story and the doctor quoted should become more educated about such a terrible disease before treating it as an unheard of situation and comparing it to morning sickness.

By: greenlance

greenlance — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:10:28 +0000

Bah. This is news? I’ve had four kids (and adopted three). Lost 30, 40 pounds every pregnancy just by eating right. Lost 45 pounds the last pregnancy. Gained it all back within eight minutes of stopping nursing. Every kid healthy, full term (and then some) — and unfortunately, I’m still a big, fat cow.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 13 May 2008 00:16:10 +0000

I wish doctors knew more. I lost between 30-50 lbs with all 4 pregnancies due to hyperemesis. That a doctor would say that is unheard of is absolutely crazy! I had Zofran and a pump that put the medication in my leg constantly with my last two pregnancies. I had friends who had a PICC line put in (permanent IVs) because they could not hold anything down. Doctors really do need to take this seriously.

By: RebeccaM

RebeccaM — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:41:17 +0000

I too had hyperemesis gravidarium. I threw up about 20 times a day. I lost about 20 pounds during the pregnancy. They put a pic line in and I was on IVs 24/7 for 7 months while living on the couch. I was only allowed to watch tv with no drama. I watched the game show channel and learned to love Richard Dawson on Match Game all over again (ugh - heh) My mother had to come stay with me and she and my husband took turns changing the bags, doing the hepron (sp?). I took Zofran and Phenergan (sp?). It took me two years with some physical therapy to regain the muscle and strength I had before. The moment our daughter was born, the sickness went away. She was born right on her target date, though!