# Prevalence and sociodemographic factors associated with hyperemesis gravidarum in pregnant women in European Arctic Russia, 2006–2018

## TL;DR

This study finds that hyperemesis gravidarum affects 2.4% of pregnant women in Arctic Russia, with younger mothers and certain lifestyle factors being more common.

## Contribution

The study provides the first detailed prevalence data on hyperemesis in Arctic Russia and identifies specific sociodemographic factors.

## Key findings

- The overall prevalence of hyperemesis was 2.4% in the studied population.
- Younger mothers (teens and 20–24 years) had a higher risk of hyperemesis.
- Changes in prevalence over time were not explained by sociodemographic factors.

## Abstract

Hyperemesis gravidarum is defined as intractable nausea and vomiting which occurs in 0.3–3% of all pregnancies. Data on hyperemesis in Russia are scarce. This study estimates the prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum in pregnant women in two Arctic regions of European Russia.

A retrospective registry-based study was used. Data were collected from two population-based birth registries between 2006 and 2018. Bivariate associations between the prevalence of hyperemesis and potential determinants were studied via chi-squared tests. To assess factors contributing to the changes in the prevalence of hyperemesis over time, logistic regression models were applied. In total, 124,538 births composed the study base.

The overall prevalence of hyperemesis was 2.4%. An inverse association was observed between maternal age and the prevalence of hyperemesis. Teenagers and women aged 20–24 years were more likely to have hyperemesis than women aged 25–29 years were (aOR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.13 − 1.55 and aOR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.08 − 1.34, respectively). The level of education did not influence the likelihood of developing hyperemesis. Being married, being primiparous, being underweight and having a female child were associated with hyperemesis. Women who reported no smoking during pregnancy were more likely to have hyperemesis after adjustment for other studied factors.

The prevalence of hyperemesis in European Arctic Russia is greater than that in neighboring Nordic countries and varies over time. Changes in the prevalence of hyperemesis over time cannot be explained by changes in maternal sociodemographic characteristics during the study period.