Understanding how to manage HG treatment, cope with the effects of HG, and get help to survive HG are some of the greatest challenges women with HG face. The HER Foundation has been developing tools, collaborating on HG research, and supporting families since 2000. Find resources to share with doctor(s), friends and family. HER Foundation is working to improve the health of mothers and babies now and in the future.
Assessment Tools
Assessing these women can be difficult due to the fluctuations in symptom severity and complexity of their symptoms. Thus, the HER Foundation developed important tools to help you effectively and efficiently evaluate HG patients.
HELP Score
The HER Foundation’s HyperEmesis Level Prediction Score or HELP Score is a measurement tool to quantify symptom severity and helps monitor women with more complex symptomatology. Available in English and Spanish.
Using patient-friendly language, the HELP Score evaluates the severity of nausea, vomiting and retching, plus five key clinical concerns: hydration, treatment effectiveness and tolerance, psychosocial functioning, oral intake, and overall progress.
The HELP Score is based on 10 quick questions plus 2 data points. All questions except weight loss are based on the last 24 hours. Some questions have answers with both numerical values and descriptions to make quantification easier. Answers are scored from 0-5, with 0 being no symptoms or normal, and 5 indicating severe symptoms.Â
Layout allows quick identification of severe symptoms, which will be indicated for answers selected in the far right two columns. Trending the score over time allows more sensitive detection of changes in symptoms.
The HELP Score is automatically calculated by the HG Care App and then all data is summarized into meaningful charts that can be printed or shared with family and clinicians.
HG Assessment Packet
The HER Foundation developed a comprehensive assessment packet to promote standardized assessment of HG and improve recognition of comorbidities and developing complications. The Assessment Packet is divided into 3 parts with 1 two-sided page for each section. Page 1 is pregnancy and HG history, page 2 is their current HG symptoms and treatment assessment, and page 3 is a detailed care planning tool for efficient and comprehensive treatment of HG patients.
HG Care App
Learn more about our innovative and very helpful app made by HG survivors for you! This FREE app was designed by the HER Foundation and co-developed with UCLA mHealth.
- Read our blog post on the app
- Watch a video on the app
- Download the app flyer
- Read our HG Care app research
Women can track their symptoms and treatments to find out if treatments are working. Plus they can easily share insights into their progress with family and health professionals. Contact us to enroll in our HG Care App research study!
Remember if it makes you ill to use your phone, just have family input your data. We have optimized the app to minimize input and motion.
Data analysis showed that patients felt positive about the App’s ability to accurately define symptom levels (92%), improve communication (66%), and improve care (61%). Providers unanimously thought the HG Care App was accurate in defining symptom levels and was useful in improving communication, and most (67%) found it useful in improving care.
Source: Korouri E, MacGibbon K, Chan C, Guba Leonides, Cruz LD (2019) Performance of iPhone Hyperemesis Gravidarum Care App. J Clinical Case Rep Case Stud 2019: 53-59.
HG Care App Demo
Android Users
For now, the HG Care App is only in iOS because the framework to build a complex app like this is very difficult in Android. Apple makes kits that help developers build health apps more quickly. The more women that enroll in our study and use our app, the more likely UCLA mHealth will consider making an Android version.
