Health care utilisation of women who experience pregnancy-related reflux, nausea and/or vomiting. (18th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Frawley, Jane; Hall, Helen; Adams, Jon; Sibbritt, David
• Is Part Of: Journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine. Volume 30:Number 16(2017)
• Page Start: 1938
• Page End: 1943
• Publication Date: 2017-08-18
• Subjects: Pregnancy -- nausea -- vomiting -- reflux -- health service research; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Perinatology -- Periodicals; Infants (Newborn) -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neonatology -- Periodicals; 618.2
• DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2016.1232711
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-7058

Abstract

Abstract: Objective : Nausea, vomiting and reflux are common conditions experienced by women during pregnancy. The objective of this project was to examine women's use of health services for these conditions. Methods : The study sample was obtained via the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. A total of 2445 women who were pregnant or who had recently given birth in 2009 were invited to complete a sub-survey in 2010 about pregnancy and health service utilisation. A response rate of 79.2% was obtained. Results : During their pregnancy, 604 (32.9%) respondents experienced nausea, with 255 (42.2%) of these women seeking help from a health care practitioner. A total of 201 women (11%) reported repeated vomiting, and 637 women (34.7%) reported reflux, of which 78.6% and 59.2% sought help, respectively. There were no significant differences in the mental and physical health measures between women with nausea, vomiting and/or reflux who sought help and women who did not. Having private health insurance with obstetric cover was associated with seeking help for reflux; this was the only demographic measure significantly associated with seeking help for any condition. Conclusion : Research is required to understand why many women do not seek professional help for common gastrointestinal conditions during pregnancy.