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.
Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.