Destroying psychiatric records
A West · BMJ · 1979
weeks' gestation.During seven weeks of vomiting she lost 122 kg weight before the pregnancy was terminated.A further weight loss of 58 kg had occurred three months before the pregnancy, when she was vomiting in association with a urinary tract infection.This weight loss of 18 kg in six months before the spontaneous pneumomediastinum represents starvation.We consider that this feature of severe hyperemesis gravidarum was the predominating factor in this case.Cases of spontaneous pneumomediastinum associated with severe hyperemesis gravidarum may escape detection owing to a natural reluctance to use radiographs in early pregnancy.