High-Risk Pregnancy Saved by High-Quality Care

Morning sickness, only a hundred times worse.

That’s the non-clinical, mom-speak for a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), which occurs in approximately 2 percent of pregnant women, according to the National Organization of Rare Disorders.

Meredith Blankenstein, a Charlottesville stay-at-home mom, was one of the few to experience this condition when she became pregnant with her second child in August 2008.

"On day four of my pregnancy, I began throwing up," says Blankenstein. "I had experienced HG with my first daughter but it was manageable."

This time around, her HG would be anything but.

"I was losing weight, I couldn't keep foods or liquids down and I was vomiting six to eight times per day."

After months of dealing with the condition, Blankenstein received a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) for administering fluids and medication.

She was also assigned a nurse from UVA's Continuum Home Health who would visit her weekly to monitor her condition and maintain the PICC line.

"I could see for myself what problems she was having," says Marcy Jordan, RN. "At one point I got really alarmed because she could barely sit up. That's when I urged her doctors to begin [intravenous feeding]."

Because of the potentially life-threatening complications, Jordan's visits were essential to the health of Blankenstein and her baby. "[Marcy] was really meticulous," says Blankenstein. "She changed my dressing once a week and kept [the PICC site] sterile. She was excellent."

Jordan's visits soon became more than a medical necessity; they were a respite for a mother confined to her bedroom for seven months. "[Marcy] was good for moral support. I looked forward to seeing her,” says Blankenstein.

At 38 weeks, Blankenstein gave birth to a baby girl who weighed just more than seven pounds.

"She was fat, healthy and perfect," says Blankenstein. "I don't think my baby would be here without Marcy. She took such good care of me."