Doctors back introduction of morning sickness drug

WASHINGTON - Women who suffer from morning sickness should be treated with drugs to allow them to lead as normal a life as possible, says an international group of doctors.

Treatment would also prevent either the women or their unborn babies' health being endangered as a result of regular vomiting or dehydration, the International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians' conference in Washington was told.

More than 300 doctors voted for the widespread introduction of a drug called Diclectin, which prevents nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and allows mothers to lead a "normal daily life" from the beginning of their pregnancy.

Diclectin has become "the drug of choice" for all pregnant women in Canada and has been used to treat more than 33 million women in the past 25 years. It has undergone full clinical trials and has no effect on the unborn child.

The drug is about to be approved for use in the United States.

At the conference, British doctors called for Diclectin to be approved as soon as possible for use in Britain.

Two-thirds of British women suffer from morning sickness during pregnancy, usually beginning in the fourth week and lasting until three months.

About 8.6 million work days are lost each year from women taking time off for morning sickness.

There has been much reluctance to give any medication to pregnant mothers sincer the widespread use of Thalidomide in the 1960s caused hundreds of children to be born with physical defects.

But in about 3 per cent of cases morning sickness is so extreme that women are unable to feed their babies because they cannot eat properly, and suffer weight loss and severe dehydration.

They are put in hospital to ensure they get enough nutrients and to prevent dehydration.

Research has shown that a tiny minority of British women, about 50 a year, have morning sickness so badly they seriously consider ending their pregnancy.

Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, professor of obstetrics, midwifery and gynaecology at Derby City General Hospital, says: "It is an old wives' tale that morning sickness is good for the mother."

Dr Roger Gadsby, a GP from Nuneaton and an expert on morning sickness, has campaigned for the introduction of Diclectin, which contains two antihistamines and vitamin B6.

He says the medical profession is paranoid because of Thalidomide. Doctors fear giving women any medication during the first three months.

"Diclectin certainly has a good safety record," he says.

"It should be available here. There is no need for these women to be suffering."

Debbie Nutter, a 37-year-old nurse from Blackburn, Lancashire, had such bad morning sickness, six weeks into her third pregnancy, that she was admitted to hospital for six days.

She lost 6.5kg in a week and was being fed by a drip.

"Morning sickness makes you desperate," she says. "As long as it has been clinically tested, I welcome any medication which can ease the terrible condition.

"I went into hospital because I was so desperate. The first four months of my pregnancy were horrendous.

"I used to wish someone would shoot me because of the pain. There is absolutely no relief. And I knew the next day would be no better - I would be vomiting every day," says Debbie Nutter.

"It was terrible - I was so depressed. I couldn't hold any food down. I was even bringing water up.

"I couldn't sleep - I would be awake at three o'clock in the morning vomiting."

After 14 weeks of hell, her condition improved. Her third child, Sam, is now 13 months old.

- INDEPENDENT