Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (NVP) is the most common medical illness of pregnancy, affecting up to 80% of all pregnant women.1-3 It can range from mild to severe in nature with NVP being one of the most common indications for hospital admission during the first trimester of pregnancy.4,5
Whilst many women with NVP can cope with conservative management, approximately a third of women with NVP are prescribed an off license medication for this condition.6
NVP can have serious adverse effects on quality of life for pregnant women and their families1-3 with 87% of NVP sufferers experiencing nausea more than 5 times or constantly throughout the day.7 Severe NVP is associated with severe dehydration, malnutrition and electrolyte imbalances.3,4,8 and the most severe form of NVP is known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and affects up to 3.6% of pregnant women.3,9,10 In women who have had severe NVP or HG in a prior pregnancy, failing to treat the early stages of NVP may increase the risk of subsequent hospitalisation.3,11-13
This website provides an overview of NVP, including information about how to assess its severity and how to support women with the condition. It also includes details on conservative treatment, along with an overview of Xonvea (doxylamine succinate 10mg/pyridoxine hydrochloride 10mg), which is now licensed in the UK for the treatment of NVP in women where conservative management has failed.