Objective: We examined the country of origin of women treated in hospital for hyperemesis gravidarum. The immigration experience and degree of acculturation were analyzed. We also studied what ethnic Turkish women imagine to be the causes of hyperemesis. Methods: We reviewed all patients admitted for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum between April 1995 and March 2001. A pilot study analyzed a random sample of 13 ethnic Turkish women. Data on sociodemographics, acculturation, psychologic well-being (SCL-90-R), and subjective illness theory were collected. The control group consisted of pregnant German and ethnic Turkish patients without inpatient treatment of hyperemesis. Results: The proportion of immigrants among patients admitted for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum exceeded their proportion in the age-adjusted population. Most immigrants were from Turkey, Lebanon, or the former Yugoslavia. Of the 13 ethnic Turk women (mean age 24 years, gestational age 7 - 11 weeks), nine were primiparous, eight were admitted as an emergency, and seven were recent immigrants. The level of education was low and the women had a poor knowledge of German and of health and pregnancy. Most had a naturalistic theory of illness. The SCL-90 somatization scores were higher in the immigrant than in the control group. Conclusions: Immigrants appear to be at increased risk of developing severe hyperemesis gravidarum compared with women born in Germany.

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hyperemesis gravidarum ethnic group Turkey (republic) female major clinical study Germany immigrant Review adult pregnancy cultural factor high risk population psychological aspect experience somatization human wellbeing