A 26-year-old woman from Newport, Wales, is considering sterilization as her best option after struggling with debilitating pregnancy sickness that nearly led her to terminate her second pregnancy. Chloe, a toddler and baby sleep coach, suffers from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a condition that causes prolonged severe nausea and vomiting throughout pregnancy.
Chloe’s first pregnancy was a harrowing experience, as she was admitted to the hospital with dehydration and spent most of her first trimester bedridden, unable to eat or drink. “I literally spent the whole of my first trimester in bed on ice cubes, because I couldn’t eat or drink,” she recalled. Her mental health also deteriorated, and she was unable to take her antidepressants due to the severity of her sickness.
During her second unplanned pregnancy, Chloe’s condition worsened to the point where she had an abortion booked, fearing for her own safety and her ability to care for her son. However, an ectopic pregnancy scare led her to see a gynecologist who was able to prescribe Xonvea, a medication recommended as an effective first-line treatment for HG by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Chloe said the medication helped her regain her health, allowing her to take her antidepressants and eat again. But the experience has left her traumatized, and she is now in the process of arranging a sterilization procedure, unable to face the prospect of another such difficult pregnancy.
Dr. Georgina Forbes, a specialist in sexual and reproductive health, has called for the Welsh government to reconsider its decision on the availability of Xonvea, dismissing concerns about its cost. “If you consider the cost every time a woman is hospitalized, that is going to be hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, depending on how long they stay, how many bags of IV fluid they need, how many other medication. So that’s just the cost to healthcare,” she said.
Plaid Cymru MS Lindsay Whittle has also advocated for better access to Xonvea in Wales, stating that the cost of the medication is “less than the price of a meal out in an average restaurant” and that the Welsh government should prioritize supporting women like Chloe who suffer from this debilitating condition.
