A common over-the-counter medication used by pregnant women to deal with a severe form of morning sickness can lead to poor birth outcomes, a new study says.
Lead author Marlena Fejzo and colleagues from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that expecting women suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) often depended on antihistamines to solve their sleep problems, and the medication increased the risks of premature birth and giving birth to babies with low birth weight.
"It was surprising to find the link between antihistamines and adverse outcomes as these are over-the-counter medications that are used commonly by women with HG during pregnancy," Fejzo, who had undergone HG during her pregnancies, said in a news release.
Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP), commonly known as "morning sickness", affects about 70 to 85 percent of pregnant women in the country. According to experts, about 50 percent of pregnant women experience both nausea and vomiting, while 25 percent experience only nausea.
Hyperemesis gravidarum is a severe form of morning sickness that often forces a pregnant woman to seek the help of emergency care. The condition, which is accompanied by vomiting, weight loss, severe nausea and electrolyte disturbance, affects a significant number of pregnant women in the United States.
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, who is due in July this year, was admitted to hospital in December 2012 after experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum. Similarly, another celebrity mom, former Playboy model Holly Madison was also admitted to hospital for severe morning sickness during the same period.
The current study, published in the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, included 254 women with HG and 308 without the condition. Poor birth outcomes were higher among women with HG, compared to women without the morning sickness.
Researchers then collected information about the medications (about 35) commonly used by the women suffering with HG. More than half of the women who reported poor birth outcomes had taken medications that contained antihistamines (Unisom and Benadryl). However, the researchers found that the medications were of little help to the women.
"Some doctors will suggest that their HG patients take Unisom to help them sleep through their nausea," Fejzo said. "Our findings show not only that the use of antihistamines is linked with adverse outcomes, but also that they're not that effective. Women with HG should be aware of that so they can make educated decisions on how to treat their HG symptoms," the researchers concluded.
