Pathogenesis (development of disease)
Hyperemesis gravidarum causes excessive vomiting. The cause is still unclear. It is thought to be related to the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin; pregnancy hormone).
However, many women with elevated HCG do not have nausea (sickness) and vomiting. In addition, patients with chorionic carcinoma, who also have elevated HCG levels, do not experience nausea.
Since hyperemesis gravidarum is more commonly associated with a female fetus (“offspring”), this could be an indication of elevated estrogen levels in utero (“in the womb”). It is possible that patients with hyperemesis are more sensitive to estrogen effects than asymptomatic pregnant women.
Furthermore, psychological factors are thought to play a role. More recently, chronic Helicobacter pylori infection (the most common cause of chronic gastritis, accounting for 80-90%) has increasingly been included in the more or less multimediated spectrum of triggers.
Etiology (causes)
Biographic causes
- Multiple pregnancy (multiple gestation).
- Migration background
Behavioral causes
- Psycho-social situation
- Stress, severe stress situations
- Overweight (BMI ≥ 25, obesity).
Disease-related causes
- Depression/depressed mood
- Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa (anorexia) or bulimia nervosa (binge eating disorder)
- Helicobacter pylori infection, chronic
- Hyperparathyroidism (parathyroid hyperfunction).
- Hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism)
- Liver dysfunction, unspecified
- Personality disorders
- Psychosomatic disorders
- Disorders of lipid metabolism, unspecified
- Trophoblast disorders (complete, partial, and invasive bladder mole) – disorders in the development of the fruit.
