Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for hyperemesis gravidarum: A case series

Abstract

Hiperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a serious condition during pregnancy that effects 0.3-2% of the pregnancies. It is among the most frequent reasons for the hospitalization of pregnant women during prenatal period. There are many factors that cause the development of HG, including psychiatric factors. A lot of women with HG need a psychiatric evaluation and support. It is a challenging disorder for psychiatrists because it does not have a standard clinical diagnostic criteria and a determined psychiatric treatment. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a new psychotherapy method different from the usual psychotherapy approach that has shown to be effective in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The curative effect of EMDR on PTSD is explained with adaptive information processing. EMDR practice in PTSD provides the desensitization of the triggers of traumatic stimuli. In this study, the hypothesis suggesting that EMDR has desensitization effects on nausea and vomiting and on their triggers in HG cases were investigated. Five patients with HG were enrolled in the present study. Triggers that cause nausea and vomiting were treated with EMDR. While four of the five cases rapidly responded to EMDR therapy, one case had recurrent HG symptoms whose further clinical evaluations revealed gall bladder disease. EMDR approach may be an effective adjunctive treatment option for HG symptoms.