J Cannabis Ther 2002(3/4):061-81

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Clinical Cannabis: To Eat or Not to Eat?

Author
Wei-Ni Lin Curry

Abstract
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a debilitating ailment characterized by severe nausea and vomiting, malnutrition, and weight loss during pregnancy, occurs to 1-2% of pregnant women globally. Although the medical community offers clinical and pharmaceutical intervention, the procedures are: (1) partially effective, if at all, (2) costly and unaffordable without health insurance, (3) questionable in their long-term safety for the fetus, as most have not been scientifically tested, and (4) in more severe cases, physically painful and psychologically disempowering for the pregnant woman. This study unveils the deep suffering endured by women undergoing HG from a folkloristic perspective and proposes the use of medical cannabis as an effective natural remedy for the symptoms of HG. Due to the criminalization of cannabis and the stigma of its use during pregnancy, no formalized testing has been conducted, thus far, to investigate such a claim. While a small, underground, pilot study of cannabis treatment for HG has proven relatively promising, clinical trials are necessary for a more conclusive answer.

Keywords
Hyperemesis gravidarum, HG, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, morning sickness, cannabis, marijuana, medical marijuana, malnutrition and weight loss, anorexia, herbal treatment, antiemetics, pregnancy and health, women’s health, self-help, holistic health, natural childbirth, midwifery, fetal health, fetal rights

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