‘I Couldn’t Keep Water Down’: Woman Hospitalised for 10 Weeks Calls for Awareness on Extreme Pregnancy Sickness

A Lincolnshire woman who endured severe pregnancy sickness for months has urged the government to raise awareness and improve treatment for the condition.

Jasmine Ross, 28, from Boston, said she was left bedridden and unable to work due to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) — a rare and debilitating pregnancy illness that causes relentless nausea and vomiting.

Ross spent a total of 10 weeks in hospital after being unable to keep down food or water, describing the experience as “debilitating” and “traumatic.”

“We are not talking about being sick once or twice. This was every day — relentless nausea and vomiting. I couldn’t eat, drink, or care for my children,” she said.

The NHS says sickness during pregnancy is common, affecting about eight in ten expectant mothers. However, only between 1% and 3% experience HG — a condition also suffered by Catherine, Princess of Wales, who previously said it made her “not the happiest of pregnant people.”

Ross said the illness forced her to quit her job and left her battling post-traumatic stress disorder. She now works with a charity that supports women facing pregnancy sickness.

“There are many women across the UK terminating wanted pregnancies because of HG,” she added. “It’s devastating and needs to be better understood.”

Nearly 12,000 people have signed a petition calling for government funding to improve healthcare for HG sufferers, including better physical and mental support, staff training, and access to treatment.