Entertainment
If you or anyone you know has ever experienced morning sickness during pregnancy, then you are fully aware that it can feel more like morning, afternoon, and evening sickness. If you thought that was bad, then you may be in for a shock when you learn about morning sickness' bigger, badder cousin, hyperemesis gravidarum. But not everyone is in the dark about this condition. In fact, there are plenty of celebrities who were open about hyperemesis gravidarum and shed a little light on the subject. In a way, it can be somewhat comforting when a public face brings a bit of validation to the same condition you experienced.
For those of you who are lucky enough not to know what this debilitating situation is all about, allow me to offer a quick crash course. So, what is hyperemesis gravidarum exactly? According to the American Pregnancy Association, "hyperemesis gravidarum is a condition characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and electrolyte disturbance." This may not sound too bad, but as someone who endured seven months of this condition, it truly is brutal.
So if you're curious as to which famous mothers experienced extreme morning sickness or you'd just like a little reassurance that you're not alone in this situation, check out these celebs who were open about hyperemesis gravidarum.
1Kelly Clarkson
This American Idol alum is no stranger to rough pregnancies. In an interview with CBS This Morning, Kelly Clarkson said, "I'm familiar with all-day sickness and I have to get IVs and fluids because I get so dehydrated. It's really bad." Having to get fluids replenished is fairly common with hyperemesis gravidarum.
2Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian has experienced her fair share of pregnancy complications, like when it was revealed Kardashian had placenta accreta. In addition to that, she has also had digestive issues. According to Us Weekly, Kardashian said, "I’ve had really bad morning sickness, day sickness, night sickness — I can barely get out of bed." As anyone with hyperemesis gravidarum can tell you, laying in bed all day is pretty much all you ever want to do.
3Kate Middelton
Perhaps the first famous face to bring public awareness to hyperemesis gravidarum, was Kate Middelton, Duchess of Cambridge, when she was hospitalized for the severe condition. According to Today, Duchess Middelton experienced hyperemesis gravidarum with both pregnancies. Dr. Amos Grunebaum, director of obstetrics at New York Presbyterian, told Today that it's common for women who had hyperemesis gravidarum with their first pregnancy to go through it again.
4Debra Messing
The former Will & Grace star lived up to her character's name by handling her pregnancy complications with grace. According to Latina, on the topic of severe morning sickness, Debra Messing said, "I had to spend time in bed, resting and having intravenous fluids." Though not all who experience hyperemesis gravidarum require this type of replenishment, it's still quite common.
5Kourtney Kardashian
There is more than one Kardashian woman who has survived a difficult pregnancy. In an interview with Parents about her second pregnancy, Kourtney Kardashian said, "I had a lot more morning sickness than last time. I was also more tired." A hallmark of hyperemesis gravidarum is morning sickness which lasts beyond the first trimester.
6Molly Sims
In a video on her personal website, Molly Sims said, "in the morning, I wanna vomit; lunch and I wanna vomit; I wanna vomit at dinner; then when I go to bed, I still want to vomit." Hyperemesis gravidarum turns morning sickness into 24/7 sickness.
7Angie Harmon
In addition to stomach issues, hyperemesis gravidarum can present with other symptoms, like anemia, according to Women's Health. In an interview with Pregnancy, Angie Harmon said, "it's horrible—I’ve had morning sickness, then I got anemia, which was also new and horrible." A depletion of your body's nutrients is extremely common with hyperemesis gravidarum, so it's no surprise that anemia can occur as well.
8Tia Mowry
In an interview on NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin, Tia Mowry said, "morning sickness never just happened in the morning for me, it happened throughout my whole entire pregnancy." Again, it's a trademark of hyperemesis gravidarum to have nausea and vomiting that lasts longer than classic morning sickness does.
9Tori Spelling
One of the more difficult aspects of severe morning sickness can be how long it lasts. In an interview with Us Weekly, Tori Spelling said, "I have been nauseous for three months straight. I've actually been much sicker this pregnancy." Though it might sound like an exaggeration, as anyone with hyperemesis gravidarum will tell you, it's likely true.
