Even the healthiest pregnancy is a time of mixed emotions and great change. The never-ending nausea and vomiting of HG only heighten this experience. You may be stuck at home for an extended period, unable to partake in normal activities, or do things you normally enjoy and that make you feel like yourself. Add to this, the widespread ignorance of the condition and its impact and you may find yourself feeling isolated, misunderstood and lonely.

Studies have shown that as many as 50% of sufferers of severe NVP and HG will develop anxiety and/or depression over the course of their pregnancy. Not only would this further impact your quality of life during pregnancy, but it also puts you at greater risk of developing postpartum depression and anxiety. Trying to stay on top of your mental wellbeing while you’re pregnant is an important part of managing HG.

Handling 'advice'

People may attempt to advise you on ways to treat your symptoms. Many sufferers report that ginger is most often suggested as a cure-all for NVP. While there’s limited research to suggest that ginger has any effect on regular morning sickness, there’s nothing that suggests it as a useful treatment for NVP or HG. It’s important to remember that, though annoying or hurtful, these comments are often well-intentioned and come from a good place. This doesn’t mean you have to be quietly accepting of any and all crazy advice you may receive - if you feel up to it, try using it as an opportunity to educate the people around you about HG.

Seeking help

If you can, seek professional support. Whether you find a private psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor who has experience with perinatal mental health, or get in touch with the perinatal mental health team at your delivering hospital, getting expert support will go along way.

We also recommend engaging with PANDA - Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia - a charitable organisation that specialises in supporting families during pregnancy and the first year of a child’s life. They have excellent resources and support channels for all kinds of mental health concerns.

Join the Hyperemesis Australia Facebook support group to connect with others who are currently living with, or have previously experienced HG. There’s no one better placed to help you through this experience than those who have already survived.

We are working toward setting up a national network of volunteers for a peer-to-peer support system. This will allow current sufferers to be paired with a previous sufferer for support, validation and advice. We will keep you updated via our newsletter and social media channels once we have this in motion.

Please feel free to contact us directly via the contact form or email.

Things to remember

• Ask for help - with whatever you and whenever you can. Whether this is from friends and family or by engaging the services of professionals for help with cleaning and other chores

• There are 280 days in a full-term pregnancy and while that is a long time to live with HG, it means that there is an endpoint. While it may take some time for your body to return to normal your symptoms will subside and your life will return to normal

• This is not your fault. There is nothing you have done or not done to cause this sickness. You could not have prevented, predicted or planned for it. So, don’t beat yourself up about it

• Give yourself permission to do whatever it takes to survive this period of time

• There’s no such thing as a perfect pregnancy no matter what we’ve all been taught to believe. But the perfect pregnancy doesn’t exist. Having HG is a horrible thing to have to endure but this is your pregnancy and you have to do it your way