Low birth weight and hyperemesis gravidarum.

A group of patients suffering from severe hyperemesis gravidarum is defined. In contrast to what is reported in the literature, these women gave birth to babies with lower birth weight when compared to the hospital population and also to women who had a milder degree of hyperemesis gravidarum. This indicates that the metabolic disturbance created by hyperemesis may have an adverse effect on the growth potential of the fetus.