Psychological factors in nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: A review

Abstract

A review of studies of nausea and/or vomiting in pregnancy carried out since 1945 shows a wide variety of populations sampled, sampling methods, methods of study, variables chosen for study and methods of measurement. Among independent variables the assembled evidence does not support the involvement of age, gravidity, social class or social stress. The evidence on many other variables such as psychological disturbance, neuroticism and other physical illness is ambivalent. The woman's relationship with her husband and her own mother may both be important, but procedures so far adopted have not shown a role for ‘femininity’. There is ambivalent evidence on the role played by the pregnancy's being planned or wanted, but stronger evidence that ambivalent attitudes are causative. Associations with dependent variables are more consistent and striking. Requirements of further research are considered.