Psychiatric symptoms, perceived social support, coping styles, and dyadic adjustment in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum

Abstract

Objective: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a condition with severe nausea and vomiting, which is seen in 0.3-2% of pregnancies. In addition to biological factors, psychosocial factors were also reported to play a role in the development of HG. However, the impact of psychosocial factors in HG has not been elucidated yet. In this research, we aimed to investigate psychiatric symptoms in patients with HG and their relationships with perceived social support, coping styles, and dyadic adjustment. Method: Forty-eight women with HG hospitalized in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Inpatient Unit and 48 healthy pregnant women consulted to the Obstetric Outpatient Unit for their routine obstetric control were recruited for the study. The subjects were evaluated with sociodemographic form, Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Ways of Coping Scale (WCS), and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). Results: All sociodemographic variables except nausea and vomiting history in previous pregnancies were similar in both groups. All subscales and global symptom index scores of SCL-90-R were higher; optimistic and submissive subscale scores of WCS were lower, satisfaction, consensus and total scores of DAS were higher in HG group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Psychiatric symptom levels are higher in women with HG compared to the controls. No difference for previous psychiatric history among groups shows that previous psychiatric history is not a predictor for HG. The psychiatric symptoms in HG is self-limiting and possibly due to HG symptoms. Psychosocial factors such as perceived social support, coping styles, and dyadic adjustment may contribute to the psychiatric symptoms.