Primary achalasia diagnosed during pregnancy: rare cause of nausea and vomiting

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are very common; however, when persistent symptoms lead to severe malnutrition, other conditions should be considered. We present a patient with severe postprandial nausea and vomiting resulting in 120 lb weight loss. She was treated for presumed hyperemesis gravidarum but diagnosed with achalasia type 1 upon further work-up. The pregnancy was further complicated by fetal growth restriction, shortened cervix and preterm premature rupture of membranes, and resulted in delivery at 26 weeks of gestation. Postpartum, she underwent a peroral endoscopicmyotomyprocedure and has returned to normal body mass index.The differential for nausea/vomiting is broad, and major medical conditions can manifest for the first time during pregnancy. Severe malnutrition adversely affects maternal and fetal health. Further work-up should be pursued when symptoms cannot otherwise be explained.