Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy: a possible correlation with obsessive compulsive disorder and alexithymia

Abstract

The possible correlation between nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and alexithymia were examined in this cross-sectional study. A cohort of pregnant women at the first trimester of pregnancy experiencing NVP were divided into three groups, according to severity (mild, moderate and severe) with the Pregnancy Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea (PUQE) test. The Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Scale (MOCQ) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were applied. Scores of scales were compared in all three groups, and the relationship between NVP severity and OCD and alexithymia was evaluated. On the 110 enrolled pregnant women, 42 had mild, 36 had moderate and 32 had severe NVP. Pregnant women with mild NVP had lower MOCQ scores than those with severe NVP (p = .010). Total scores of TAS-20 were higher among subjects with greater NVP severity (p < .001). PUQE scores were demonstrated significant correlations with MOCQ and total and subsection scores of the TAS-20, regardless of NVP groups. Study results showed that women with more pronounced OCD and/or alexithymia can experience somatic complaints, such as NVP, particularly intense in their first trimester of pregnancies. For this reason, psychotherapy in addition to medical treatments could be recommended to pregnant women with severe NVP.

Impact statement

• What is already known on this subject? NVP is a condition experienced by most women, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy, which can be affected by the psychosomatic condition of the pregnant woman.

• What do the results of this study add? The severity of nausea and vomiting according to PUQE test were significantly associated with OCD and alexithymia presence in pregnant women during their first trimester period.

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? These findings might demonstrate the symptoms of NVP are correlated to OCD, as well as alexithymia. Longitudinal studies are required to demonstrate the clear causal relationship between NVP and psychiatric symptoms as in OCD and in alexithymia.

Keywords:

• Pregnancy nausea and vomiting
• hyperemesis gravidarum
• obsessive compulsive disorder
• alexithymia

Acknowledgement

We thank every participant to have taken their time for survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).