While pregnancy brings plenty of great news, it may also mean a certain degree of discomfort, and almost no expectant mother is spared-not even the Duchess of Cambridge.
Prince William, also Duke of Cambridge, took over the role of Duchess Catherine of Cambridge in Malta after she had to cancel her trip at the last minute due to a severe condition of morning sickness. The prince attended the fiftieth independence anniversary of the republic the Queen holds dear.
On September 8, 2014, the Royal Family announced her second pregnancy after Prince George of Cambridge who was born on July 22, 2013. The second baby, who's expected to be fourth in line to the throne, is expected to be due on April 2015.
In a statement released by the palace, Duchess Catherine will have to forgo the trip with the advice of her doctors. The 32-year-old is believed to be 12 weeks along.
She suffers from a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, which affects more than 10% of pregnant women. Although the real cause still has to be discovered yet, it is believed to be brought by abnormal levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). In general, pregnant women are vulnerable to unusual levels of hormones.
Some of the symptoms include excessive vomiting and nausea, which often leads to fast weight loss and dehydration. It also causes ketosis, which is characterized by the abnormal increase of the urine toxin. It may also be detected in the blood.
The condition is dangerous for both the mother and the baby since around this time, mothers are expected to gain around 10 pounds to properly support the baby weight. Moreover, dehydration can greatly reduce the amount of essential nutrients the baby receives.
The duchess, however, is not new to this illness as she suffered the same thing during her first pregnancy. The condition eventually landed her in a hospital where she was treated to prevent dehydration and allow her body to heal and start gaining weight.