Gastrointestinal symptoms and Helicobacter pylori infection in early pregnancy. A seroepidemiologic study.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the relationship of Helicobacter pylori infection with gastrointestinal symptoms in early pregnancy.


METHODS
H. pylori seropositivity was determined in 296 pregnant women at 7-12 weeks' gestation by ELISA between January 2004 and April 2007. Sociodemographic characteristics and gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded at this time.


RESULTS
The prevalence of H. pylori infection in our population was 56.8% (168 of 296). 76% of the women with H. pylori and 68% of the women who tested negative for H. pylori infection reported at least one of the evaluated gastrointestinal symptoms. Although morning sickness and morning vomiting were not associated with H. pylori infection, sickness and vomiting during the whole day were more frequently noted with H. pylori infection (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-4.9, p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Of the evaluated gastrointestinal symptoms, H. pylori infection is significantly associated with sickness and vomiting during the whole day.
Karaer
Abdullah
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak, Woman Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. drkaraer@yahoo.com
Ozkan
Ovgu
O
Ozer
Serdar
S
Bayir
Betul
B
Kilic
Selcuk
S
Babur
Cahit
C
Danişman
Nuri
N
D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D048968:Morning Sickness / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014839:Vomiting / Q000382:microbiology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G