Objectives:
1. To measure the severity of nausea, vomiting and retching among pregnant women during the first half of pregnancy by using the “Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and Retching” (INVR).
2. To identify associated factors and assess the quality of life of these women using the “Health-Related Quality of Life for Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy” (NVPQOL) questionnaire.
Materials and methods: 97 pregnant women with gestational age ≤ 20 weeks, identified by LMP or ultrasound results from 1st trimester, having nausea and/or vomiting during the last week before the clinic visit at Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hue Central Hospital during the period from 1st April 2011 to 30th March 2012. The “Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and Retching” (INVR) has been used to measure the severity of nausea, vomiting and retching; “Health-Related Quality of Life for Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy" (NVPQOL) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life of these women.
Results: Rate of asymptomatic subjects was 4.1%, mild level was 59.8%, moderate level was 24.6%, great level was 8.4%, and severe level was 3.1%. Results from quality of life scale showed average mark of physical symptoms and aggravating factors (PSAF) of 41.8±12.63; emotions (E) of 37.8±8.53; fatigue (F) of 17.6±6.34, and limitations (L) of 50.8±13.95; overall result of 147.2±39.12 - at acceptable level.
Conclusions: Special attention and care should be paid to the group of women experiencing great and severe nausea and vomiting (11.5). Quality of life assessed by Health-Related Quality of Life for Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy questionnaire is proportionally influenced by the severity of nausea and vomiting.
Key words: nausea and vomiting, pregnant, INVR, NVPQOL