An Extreme Case of Morning Sickness
Most of us have morning sickness to some extent. It’s no fun whatsoever, but it usually goes away around the end of the first trimester, and is considered by many doctors to be a sign of a healthy, normal pregnancy.
But sometimes normal morning sickness becomes anything but. Fiona Shaw, a mom from Britain, was so ill with morning sickness that her doctors were forced to deliver her baby more than two months early. Her daughter, Tianna, weighed only 2lb 5oz. In the hospital, Tianna’s weight dropped to 2lbs, she had to fight several lung infections and be resuscitated repeatedly.
Fiona’s morning sickness – hyperemesis gravidarum to doctors – was so serious she could eat nothing but popsicles and perhaps half a cracker a day. It didn’t go away at the end of the first trimester either. By 28 weeks she had lost 50lbs and her baby was suffering too. Tianna wasn’t gaining weight and doctors diagnosed heart problems. The only way to save her was an immediate cesarean section.
Nine months later, both mom and baby are doing well. Tianna weighs a healthy 15lbs and Fiona has gained back most of the weight she lost while pregnant.
Fiona and Tianna are very rare. About 1 in 10,000 mothers experience morning sickness so badly they need medical intervention – usually hospital treatment for dehydration. Fiona’s case is an especially extreme one.
Morning sickness is a part of pregnancy for most moms. It’s uncomfortable and unpleasant but for almost all pregnant women, it will pass. But if you are pregnant, and concerned about morning sickness, talk to your doctor.
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