Pregnancy Sickness Support is a UK charity supporting women experiencing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and

Hyperemesis gravidarum Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a pregnancy complication that is characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and possibly dehydration. Feeling faint may also occur. It is considered more severe than morning sickness. Symptoms often get ...

History

Pregnancy Sickness Support was registered as a Charitable Trust in 2002 by founders Dr. Anthony Barnie-Adshead, his daughter Caroline Adshead and Dr. Roger Gadsby. Dr. Barnie-Adshead had become interested in pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum in the 1960s during his career as a GP and initiated novel research trying to find the cause. In 2014, Caitlin Dean was appointed as a trustee and currently holds the chair.

Aims

The goal of the charity is to help those experiencing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum with: * The development of a helpline to give information and support. * The production of leaflets to explain pregnancy sickness with helpful information for sufferers and carers. * Offering information about treatments available for pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum. * Provision of resources and information to educate doctors and healthcare professionals about the condition. * Raising awareness of pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum amongst the general public through articles and information. * Encouragement of further research into the condition, its impact and its treatments.

Awareness Raising

Since the Duchess of Cambridge suffered hyperemesis gravidarum in 2012, media interest in the condition has grown significantly. Chairperson Caitlin Dean has spoken on

BBC Breakfast News ''Breakfast News'' was a breakfast news programme which first aired on BBC1 on 2 October 1989. The programme was previously known as '' Breakfast Time''. It was planned to launch on 18 September 1989 but was held back by two weeks due to tech ...

, Radio 5Live,

BBC Scotland BBC Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ''BBC Alba'') is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Scotland. It is one of the four BBC national regions, together with the BBC English Regions, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Northern Ireland. I ...

, Woman's Hour and This Morning representing the charity. In 2015 the charity produced a joint report with the

British Pregnancy Advisory Service The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) is a British charity whose stated purpose is to avoid unwanted pregnancy by advocating and providing high quality, affordable services to prevent or end unwanted pregnancies with contraception or by ab ...

which addresses the issue of women terminating for hyperemesis gravidarum and the difficulty they face in accessing treatment.

Awards

In 2015, chairperson Caitlin Dean won the Third Sector Awards Charity Chairperson of the Year. In 2017, the charity was shortlisted for "Small Charity, Big Achiever" for their collaboration with BPAS.

References

{{reflist Health charities in the United Kingdom