To determine pregnancy outcome in hyperemesis gravidarum and the effect of metabolic, biochemical, hematological and clinical indicators of disease severity on outcome.
Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and estradiol levels are higher in women with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) than in unaffected pregnant controls. We postulated that higher levels of these hormones may be associated with clinically more severe HG. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal hCG and estradiol levels on the severity of HG.
In a retrospective analysis of 192 cases of presumed hyperemesis gravidarum, there were no biochemical markers that predicted hospital readmission. There was, however, statistically significant negative predictive value in abnormal liver function tests. This could represent acute self-limited illness with a component of hepatitis as the cause for the clinical presentation, rather than hyperemesis.