Objective: To test the hypothesis that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection may cause hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).
Materials and methods: A prospective-comparative study was performed on 107 pregnant patients from October 2002 to December 2003 in a university-based prenatal care clinic. Blood and stool samples were obtained from 52 patients diagnosed as HG and 55 matched asymptomatic pregnant women. H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) status of the participants was evaluated using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay-based kit.
Results: The overall prevalence of HpSA positivity appeared as 41.1%. Twenty-two of 52 (42.3%) HG patients and 22 of 55 (40.0%) control subjects were positive for HpSA. The difference was not significant (p>.05).
Conclusion: HG seemed to be not associated with H. pylori infection, as indicated by specific stool antigen assay.