Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the recent survey conducted by Pregnancy Sickness Support, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of treatment of symptoms of extreme morning sickness.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) ‘Green-top Guideline’ ‘The Management of Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy and Hyperemesis Gravidarum’ is intended to assist patients and clinicians in making decisions about individual patients’ treatment. The RCOG issues Green-top Guidelines on a range of conditions to aid clinical practice. As such, they do not require Government implementation to give them effect. The Department and its arm’s length bodies work closely with the RCOG to promote best clinical practice.

As explained by the RCOG on their website, Green-top Guidelines provide systematically developed recommendations which assist clinicians and patients in making decisions about appropriate treatment for specific conditions. The recommendations are not intended to dictate an exclusive course of management or treatment. They must be evaluated with reference to individual patient needs, resources and limitations unique to the institution and variations in local populations.