The evidence bases of etiopathophysiology and preventive clinical management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting, or early toxicosis, is a common disorder during pregnancy, affecting up to 80% of pregnant women. The severe form is known as excessive vomiting of pregnancy – hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening illness during pregnancy which is characterized by persistent nausea and/or vomiting, weight loss, malnutrition and dehydration, increases the risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.Without the methodical intervention of experienced clinicians, life-threatening complications can develop. Effective prevention and treatment strategies for HG require an understanding of both pathophysiological and psychosocial factors, awareness of potential risks and complications, and proactive assessment and treatment methods using innovative clinical tools. HG is characterized by dehydration, electrolyte and metabolic imbalance, as well as nutritional deficiency, which can lead to hospitalization. The severity of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can be assessed using the Unique Gestational Vomiting Qualification (scale PUQE-24), which has been shown to be a relatively accurate assessment of the patient’s lifestyle, including hours of sleep.For high-quality differential diagnosis, a focused anamnesis collection and examination are necessary, since the diagnosis of this condition is mainly determined clinically. Laboratory tests are useful tools for evaluating complications such as electrolyte or metabolic imbalances or kidney damage. In addition, they help to determine the etiology in refractory cases.Hypotheses that contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of HG have been based on associations that are causal, sequential, or coincidental. Much efforts are needed to precisely establish these relationships in well-designed studies. HG is the most common indication for hospitalization in the first half of pregnancy. Numerous nutrient deficiencies have been identified, such as thiamine deficiency, which can lead to Wernicke’s encephalopathy, vitamin K deficiency, and severe hypokalemia.It is noteworthy that, in addition to the above-mentioned physical complications, HG is also associated with psychological adverse consequences. Although it has been associated with serious complications, little is known about its prognostic factors.The purpose of this systematic review was to find and critically evaluate studies that determined the priority areas of clinical management of vomiting in pregnant women, based on the differentiation and pathophysiological component, the analysis of the safety profile of non-pharmacological agents to prevent the development of the above-mentioned gestational pathology, and the clarification of an effective strategy of interprofessional teams to improve care coordination and outcomes in pregnant women with nausea and vomiting.A systematic data search was carried out in the databases MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects and publications in professional publications of Ukraine for 2010–2023.The main result was the prediction of the occurrence of vomiting in pregnant women and HG, the effectiveness of preventive intervention, the reduction or cessation of nausea/vomiting; the number of episodes of vomiting; duration of hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included other parameters of preventive strategy effectiveness, adverse maternal/fetal/neonatal outcomes, quality of life measures, and economic costs. Preventive measures: ginger, acupressure/acupuncture, diet, hypnotherapy. The economic evaluation of prevention strategies also took into account perinatal outcomes. Therapeutic strategies, primarily infusion therapy, will be reviewed and analyzed by us in the following review.The results of evidence-based medicine presented in the reviews can be used in the creation of a clinical guideline, protocol, consensus or clinical recommendations regarding the clinical management of nausea, vomiting of pregnancy and HG.