Key Concepts
Overview & Diagnostic Criteria
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG): Severe, persistent nausea and vomiting in pregnancy that causes dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and weight loss of >5% of pre-pregnancy body weight. Affects 0.5–2% of pregnancies. Peak incidence: 8–12 weeks (correlates with hCG peak). Leading cause of hospitalization in 1st trimester. NOT the same as normal morning sickness (NVP). Diagnostic criteria: - Persistent vomiting with inability to maintain oral hydration - Weight loss >5% of pre-pregnancy weight - Dehydration with ketonuria - Electrolyte abnormalities - Requires medical intervention On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic is familiar. Run a 60-second scan: breathing work and oxygenation, perfusion and end organs, neuro baseline, likely infection sources, and devices that can fail quietly. When two answers feel partly right, pick the one that reduces imminent harm and matches orders for the role you were given. Train yourself to state the primary risk in one short phrase before you read the...