Princess Kate is pregnant with her third child and is suffering from the same condition that struck in her first two pregnancies: hyperemesis gravidarum.
She was forced to cancel a scheduled engagement today because of her health, Kensington Palace said in a statement announcing her pregnancy.
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— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal)
Hyperemesis gravidarum is a complication of pregnancy characterized by “extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting,” according to the National Institutes of Health. The condition can lead to dehydration and weight loss.
Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a practicing OB-GYN and ABC News’ chief women’s health correspondent, described the condition as “very, very serious.”
“It’s often described as severe morning sickness on that spectrum of severity, but I actually think that’s very inaccurate, from a medical and obstetrics standpoint,” she said today on “Good Morning America.”
“We’re talking about the potential for severe malnutrition, electrolyte abnormalities, sodium, potassium [abnormalities] and in some cases organ failure,” Ashton said.
Kate, 35, was hospitalized in December 2012 for hyperemesis gravidarum while pregnant with her first child, Prince George, now 4.
Kensington Palace announced her first pregnancy shortly before she was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London for treatment.
In September 2014, the palace announced her second pregnancy, with Princess Charlotte, now 2, when Kate had to miss an official engagement in Oxford with William because she was being treated by doctors for the condition.
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