A survey of prescribing for the management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy in Australasia.
BACKGROUND
There is an impression of poor management of pregnancy sickness in Australia, specifically an apparent total reliance on metoclopramide, as a first-line choice.


OBJECTIVE
To determine what management options are commonly used in by distributing a survey to Fellows and Diplomates of RANZCOG.


METHODS
A web-based survey questionnaire distributed using an email list obtained from RANZCOG.


RESULTS
A total of 495 responses were received (23%). For morning sickness, 89% of those replying give dietary advice frequently or always, and 70% prescribe metoclopramide frequently or always, whereas 59% advise pyridoxine and 10% prescribe doxylamine. For hyperemesis gravidarum, 86% prescribe metoclopramide and 75% ondansetron.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite guidelines suggesting the use of antihistamines and dopamine agonists (phenothiazines), very few practitioners in this region make use of these in any numbers.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. stephen.raymond@dhhs.tas.gov.au
Stephen H
SH
Raymond
D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006939:Hyperemesis Gravidarum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048968:Morning Sickness / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017294:Ondansetron; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000932:Antiemetics; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D017294:Ondansetron; D008787:Metoclopramide
metoclopramide; morning sickness; ondansetron; pregnancy