Prevalence and Associated Factors in Nausea and Vomiting Among Pregnant Women in Eastern Ethiopia: A Community-Based...

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is a condition characterized by nausea with or without vomiting that occurs during pregnancy. It ranges from mild morning sickness to the most severe form and affects women with significant morbidity and socioeconomic impacts. Despite this, NVP is less frequently studied in community-based populations with low-income settings than expected. Thus, this study aimed to assess the burden of NVP and its associated factors among pregnant women in Eastern Ethiopia.

A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from July 1 to 15, 2021, among randomly selected pregnant women from the ongoing Kersa Health and Demographic Surveillance System. A structured, validated, interviewer-administered questionnaire containing the PUQE score was used. Data were entered into Epi-Data 4.6 and exported to SPSS 25 for analysis. Descriptive statistics and bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed. Finally, a p-value < 0.05 in the multivariable regression was considered as a cut-off for statistically significant association.

Out of 502 recruited women, 495 (98.6%) were included in the study. The prevalence of NVP in pregnancy was 70.3% (95% CI 66.5, 74.3). NVP was more likely among primigravida (AOR: 5.57; 95% CI: 2.57, 12.05), multigravida (AOR: 3.58; 95% CI: 2.08, 6.14), women with a family history of NVP (AOR: 3.23; 95% CI: 1.96, 5.43), and women with no exercise before pregnancy (AOR: 6.20; 95% CI: 3.53, 10.87), whereas women with planned pregnancies were less likely to experience NVP (AOR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.84).

The study indicated that 70.3% of pregnant women in eastern Ethiopia experienced NVP. Gravidity, family history of NVP, exercise before pregnancy, and unplanned pregnancy were significantly associated with NVP. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to establish temporal and causal relationships.