{"id":11286,"date":"2020-10-26T11:17:40","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T11:17:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/?p=11286"},"modified":"2024-07-12T15:04:25","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T19:04:25","slug":"what-does-a-recent-study-say-about-using-cannabis-for-hyperemesis-gravidarum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/what-does-a-recent-study-say-about-using-cannabis-for-hyperemesis-gravidarum\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a Recent Study Say About Using Cannabis for Hyperemesis Gravidarum?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A lot of women experience what is referred to as \u2018morning sickness\u2019 during pregnancy. This is when the pregnancy causes nausea and vomiting, typically occurring at any part of the day despite its name. However, many women don\u2019t know that there is an extreme version of morning sickness which can be devastating to the mother and the child. Researchers Gideon Koren and Rana Cohen have found promise in the effectiveness of cannabis for this extreme condition known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Hyperemesis Gravidarum?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The HER Foundation explains<\/a> Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) as a<\/span> potentially life-threatening pregnancy disease that causes extreme morning sickness. HG causes weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and debility because of the severe vomiting and nausea<\/a> associated with HG. The disease may even lead to long-term problems for the mother and her baby(ies).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

HG and morning sickness have relations with the body\u2019s human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is a hormone created by the placenta as a result of being pregnant. The body produces a significant amount of this hormone and a fast rate early in the pregnancy, then these levels continue to increase as the pregnancy continues. However, <\/span>the exact cause of the nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is not certain<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Morning Sickness vs. Hyperemesis Gravidarum<\/b><\/h2>\n

While morning sickness and HG might sound like similar conditions because of the shared symptoms of nausea and vomiting, they are in fact quite different.<\/span><\/p>\n

Morning sickness includes nausea and vomiting, which may be discomforting but is mostly manageable and does not leave the mother with severe dehydration. The symptoms of morning sickness also tend to disappear around weeks 12-14 of pregnancy and they do not remain present consistently. While morning sickness may cause fatigue and a slight loss of appetite, it is not enough to cause major interference with daily activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hyperemesis Gravidarum includes nausea and vomiting from morning sickness but it tends not to go away and it can lead to severe dehydration. As you can imagine, this would make it rather challenging for these soon-to-be-mothers to keep down food and fluids vital to the baby(ies). Along with the reduced ability to take in nutrients, HG can be extremely debilitating and it can lead to fatigue which can last for several weeks or even months. Women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum also tend to lose their entire appetite. All of this considered, the women with HG then experience (1) the struggle to work and do daily activities, (3) dehydration and malnutrition as well as (4) struggle to gain weight or may even lose weight despite having a baby growing in their belly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of HG<\/b><\/h2>\n

The HER foundation explains that just under half of the women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum experience the symptoms for their entire pregnancy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n