Helicobacter pylori seropositivity in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are the most common conditions affecting pregnancy, occurring in about 80% of all pregnancies and always disappearing on the 16th to 18th weeks of gestation. This may be mild and it does not affect the general condition of the patient (the condition is called emesis gravidarum), or it may be severe enough to affect the patient physically and psychologically, causing intractable vomiting, electrolyte imbalance, weight loss >5%, impairment of liver and kidney functions and dehydration. Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common bacterium affecting humans. It is a gram-negative helix-shaped microaerophilic bacterium transmitted by the oro-oral or feco-oral route. It is more prevalent in developing countries and affects young children. Acute infection manifests as acute gastritis and stomach pain, whereas chronic infection causes chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer, 2% of which may develop into stomach cancer. The authors tried to investigate the association between H pylori infection and hyperemesis gravidarum.

Fifty patients with hyperemesis gravidarum and 50 patients with normal pregnancy were included in the study. H pylori infection was determined using a 1-step H pylori test device (serum/plasma), which is a qualitative membrane-based immunoassay.

Regarding maternal age, gestational age and socioeconomic status, there is no statistical difference between both groups. There is a marked statistical difference between both groups in terms of Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and frequency of vomiting.

There is a powerful correlation between H pylori and hyperemesis gravidarum.