Clinical management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum across primary and secondary care: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES

To assess how nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) are managed and treated across primary and secondary care.

DESIGN

Population-based pregnancy cohort.

SETTING

Medical records (CPRD-GOLD) from England.

POPULATION

417 028 pregnancies during 1998-2014.

METHODS

Proportions of pregnancies with recorded NVP/HG diagnoses, primary care treatment, and hospital admissions were calculated. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to estimate adjusted relative risk ratios (aRRRs) with 99% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between NVP/HG management paths and maternal characteristics.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

NVP/HG diagnoses, treatments, and hospital admissions.

RESULTS

Overall prevalence of clinically recorded NVP/HG was 9.1%: 2.1% had hospital admissions, 3.4% were treated with antiemetics in primary care only, and 3.6% had only recorded diagnoses. Hospital admissions and antiemetic prescribing increased continuously during 1998-2013 (trend P < 0.001). Younger age, deprivation, Black/Asian/mixed ethnicity, and multiple pregnancy were associated with NVP/HG generally across all levels, but associations were strongest for hospital admissions. Most comorbidities had patterns of association with NVP/HG levels. Among women with NVP/HG who had no hospital admissions, 49% were prescribed antiemetics, mainly from first-line treatment (21% prochlorperazine, 15% promethazine, 13% cyclizine) and metoclopramide (10%). Of those admitted, 38% had prior antiemetic prescriptions (34% first-line, 9% second-line, 1% third-line treatment).

CONCLUSION

Previous focus on hospital admissions has greatly underestimated the NVP/HG burden. Although primary care prescribing has increased, most women admitted to hospital have no antiemetics prescribed before this. An urgent call is made to assess whether admissions could be prevented with better primary care recognition and timely treatment.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

The NVP/HG burden is increasing over time and management optimisation should be high priority to help reduce hospital admissions.