Written by The HG Collective · Reviewed by HG Clinicians Expert Panel · Last reviewed: July 2026
Recovery after HG
For many people, HG improves before the end of pregnancy, but around one in five of those affected may remain unwell throughout pregnancy. If nausea and vomiting continue until birth, they should then resolve rapidly. Recovering from the wider physical and emotional effects of HG may take longer.
This page explains what to expect after HG, when continuing symptoms need further investigation and how you can prepare if you are considering another pregnancy.
Physical recovery
Nausea and vomiting caused by HG should resolve rapidly after birth. However, if you experienced significant weight loss, restricted nutrition, dehydration or prolonged physical inactivity, rebuilding your strength and returning to your usual eating patterns may take longer.
If nausea and vomiting do not resolve after birth, speak to your GP or maternity team. Continuing symptoms should be investigated rather than assumed to be persistent HG.
Published evidence indicates that, although HG symptoms improve before the end of pregnancy for many people, around one in five may remain affected throughout pregnancy. For those whose symptoms continue until birth, RCOG states that symptoms of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and HG should resolve rapidly after birth.
Where symptoms continue, RCOG recommends further investigation and referral to gastroenterology or endocrinology where appropriate, because another underlying condition may be responsible.
RCOG also recognises that severe HG can result in weight loss, dehydration, electrolyte disturbance, nutritional deficiencies and muscle wasting. These are consequences of the illness and may require continued attention even after the nausea and vomiting have stopped.
References
- Nelson-Piercy C, Dean C, Shehmar M, et al. The management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: Green-top Guideline No. 69. BJOG. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17739
- Fejzo MS, Poursharif B, Korst LM, et al. Symptoms and pregnancy outcomes associated with extreme weight loss among women with hyperemesis gravidarum. Journal of Women's Health. 2009;18(12):1981–1987. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2009.1431
Emotional recovery
The emotional impact of HG does not necessarily end when the pregnancy does. Some people are left feeling anxious, low, distressed or traumatised by what they experienced. These feelings may be present immediately after pregnancy or become more apparent later.
This is not evidence that HG was psychological or caused by poor mental health. Research suggests that psychological distress can be a consequence of experiencing HG.
You do not have to wait for these feelings to pass on their own. Speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor if you are struggling. They can discuss available support and, where appropriate, refer you to perinatal mental health or psychological services.
RCOG concludes that people who experience HG are at increased risk of postnatal depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after pregnancy. It also states that studies have not found convincing evidence that pre-existing psychological ill health causes HG. Instead, the evidence suggests that HG can cause or exacerbate poor mental health.
A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis found significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety among women with HG, with the effects extending into the postnatal period.
A subsequent UK prospective case-control study assessed women during pregnancy and again six weeks after birth. At that follow-up, 29% of the HG group screened positive for probable postnatal depression, compared with 7% of the control group. The study used a psychological screening questionnaire, so these results do not represent diagnoses confirmed by clinical interview.
A 2026 mixed-methods systematic review brought together 64 international studies published between 2010 and 2025. Depression and anxiety were generally higher among people with HG than controls, and some psychological effects persisted beyond pregnancy. Large cohort studies included in the review reported increased postnatal and longer-term risks. The review also identified evidence relating to stress, psychological distress, post-traumatic stress symptoms, suicidal ideation and poorer mental-health-related quality of life.
The qualitative evidence showed that the burden could affect daily life, identity and relationships, and that experiences of dismissal or inadequate care mattered. The review's integrated findings indicated that psychological morbidity was associated with both symptom severity and experiences of care.
Longer-term effects have also been identified. In a prospective cohort of women previously admitted with HG, 21.9% of those who completed follow-up screened positive for PTSD symptoms an average of 4.5 years later. The follow-up group was relatively small, so this figure should not be treated as the expected rate for everyone with HG.
RCOG notes that pregnancy-sickness-specific counselling may be helpful during or after pregnancy.
References
- Nelson-Piercy C, Dean C, Shehmar M, et al. The management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: Green-top Guideline No. 69. BJOG. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17739
- Mitchell-Jones N, Gallos I, Farren J, Tobias A, Bottomley C, Bourne T. Psychological morbidity associated with hyperemesis gravidarum: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJOG. 2017;124(1):20–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.14180
- Mitchell-Jones N, Lawson K, Bobdiwala S, et al. Association between hyperemesis gravidarum and psychological symptoms, psychosocial outcomes and infant bonding: a two-point prospective case-control multicentre survey study. BMJ Open. 2020;10:e039715. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039715
- Mills A, Glaister P, Heys S, Hibberd C, Coxon K. Experiences of Psychological Burden and Care in Women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review. Midwifery. 2026;104956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2026.104956
- Nijsten K, van der Minnen LM, Dean C, et al. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms after hyperemesis gravidarum: a prospective cohort study. Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. 2022;35(22):10055–10063. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2022.2089550
Thinking about another pregnancy
Having experienced HG means there is a significant risk that it will happen again. Unfortunately, research cannot yet give you one reliable percentage because recurrence has been defined and measured differently across studies.
This uncertainty does not mean you cannot prepare. Before another pregnancy, ask your GP or obstetric team to help you create a written treatment plan based on what happened previously. This could record:
- which anti-sickness medications helped you;
- any medications that did not help or caused adverse effects;
- when treatment should begin;
- who you should contact if symptoms start;
- how your hydration, nutrition and mental wellbeing will be monitored; and
- when you should be referred for hospital assessment or specialist care.
RCOG advises that medication which helped in a previous pregnancy can be started before symptoms begin or immediately when they start. Do not begin or change medication without agreeing the plan with an appropriate healthcare professional.
Pre-pregnancy planning is not currently offered consistently. If nobody raises it with you, you can ask for it directly.
RCOG advises that anyone who has experienced HG should be told that it can recur in a future pregnancy.
A systematic review examined five studies involving a total of 40,350 women. Reported recurrence rates ranged from 15% to 81%. The studies used different definitions of HG and different methods of identifying recurrence, and their overall quality was low. The researchers concluded that the evidence was too varied to calculate one dependable recurrence rate.
This is why the evidence supports saying that recurrence risk is significant, but not telling someone that they personally have an 81% likelihood of developing HG again.
RCOG also examined evidence on early treatment. It found that starting antiemetics before symptoms began or immediately at their onset was associated with less severe illness in a subsequent pregnancy. A small randomised study found that pre-emptive antiemetic treatment reduced the proportion of women who developed moderate-to-severe nausea and vomiting.
Despite this, a 2025 national service evaluation found that only 22 of 129 maternity units in England, Scotland and Wales—17.1%—offered pre-pregnancy counselling to women with a history of severe nausea and vomiting or HG.
References
- Nelson-Piercy C, Dean C, Shehmar M, et al. The management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum: Green-top Guideline No. 69. BJOG. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17739
- Dean CR, Bruin CM, O'Hara ME, et al. The chance of recurrence of hyperemesis gravidarum: a systematic review. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology: X. 2020;5:100105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurox.2019.100105
- Maltepe C, Koren G. Preemptive treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: results of a randomized controlled trial. Obstetrics and Gynecology International. 2013;2013:809787. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/809787
- Nana M, Suff N, Gregori M, et al. How are hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales caring for women with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: a national service evaluation. BMC Health Services Research. 2025;25:1128. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12909-0
Family planning conversations
HG can have a profound effect on how people feel about another pregnancy. Some may want to try again with an early treatment plan in place. Others may postpone another pregnancy or decide that they do not want to become pregnant again. All of these responses are valid.
If you would find it helpful, ask your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional to discuss contraception, future pregnancy plans and the support you would need if you became pregnant again. Make sure your history of HG and any previously effective treatment are clearly recorded.
This conversation should support you to make an informed decision. It should not assume that you either will or will not want another pregnancy.
Research shows that HG can change reproductive decisions.
In a prospective Dutch follow-up study of 73 women previously admitted to hospital with HG, 35 became pregnant again. Of those, 40% reported postponing the pregnancy because of their previous HG. Among the 38 who had not become pregnant again, 24 said this was because of their experience of HG.
The study was relatively small and involved women who had required hospital treatment, so its percentages should not be assumed to represent everyone with HG. It does, however, demonstrate why family-planning discussions after HG need to include the effect of the previous illness and the risk of recurrence.
Reference
- Nijsten K, Dean C, van der Minnen LM, et al. Recurrence, postponing pregnancy, and termination rates after hyperemesis gravidarum: follow-up of the MOTHER study. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. 2021;100(9):1636–1643. https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14197
Editorial note
This page explains general evidence and signposts readers to appropriate published research. It should not be presented as individual medical advice. Review the clinical copy and links periodically to check for updates. We review our evidence base yearly and update when we are aware of new research, as much as is possible.