Pregnancy nausea and vomiting--the role of the midwife.

Seventy five-80 per cent of pregnant women get some degree of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) and it becomes severe in about 30 per cent of women with symptoms. Calling it 'morning sickness' is both inaccurate and damaging as it can be seen to trivialise the condition. Severe NVP can cause depression, feelings of inadequacy, loss of time at work, admission to hospital and termination of pregnancy. It is important for midwives to treat women with NVP with understanding and empathy, and for midwives to be able to assess women with NVP and refer for admission those developing hyperemesis gravidarm.