Kate Middleton Suffering From Morning Sickness Condition, Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Kate Middleton's Pregnancy Condition, Explained
Open Image Modal
Attending a ceremony to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War, Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at the Cointe Inter-allied Memorial, Liege, Belgium, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, Monday Aug. 4, 2014. The ceremony pays homage to the victims of the First World War, both soldiers and civilians, from Belgium and abroad, who lost their lives on Belgian soil. (AP Photo / Chris Jackson, Pool)

The good news: Kate Middleton is pregnant again! Prince George is going to be a big brother! Cute sibling photos! The not-so-good news: The Palace has announced that the Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, again, and is being treated at Kensington Palace.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is the "extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that may lead to dehydration," according to The National Center for Biotechnology Information.

When Kate was hospitalized because of the condition during her first pregnancy, rumors circulated that she might be carrying royal twins, because this type of extreme nausea can occur if that's the case.

At the time, we reported:

About 70-80 percent of pregnant women experience some type of morning sickness, but only 1-2 percent suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum, according to BabyCenter's hyperemesis support group page. The main difference, AmericanPregnancy.org says, is that nausea caused by morning sickness usually subsides after 12 weeks, but for women with hyperemesis gravidarum, the nausea continues after that point. Also, vomiting caused by this condition causes severe dehydration. Common morning sickness does not.

Common treatments for hyperemesis gravidarum include IVs, tube feeding, and medications such as metoclopramide, antihistamines, and antireflux medications. For less severe cases, AmericanPregnancy.org recommends bed rest, acupressure, herbs and hypnosis.

Here's what else we know about baby no. 2, so far:

What We Know About Royal Baby Number Two So Far
It will be fourth in line to the throne(01 of05)
Open Image Modal
The baby will be behind its grandad, Prince Charles, its dad, Prince William and its brother Prince George. Its uncle Prince Harry will fall to fifth place. (credit:Geoff Pugh/PA Wire)
It will be a Prince or Princess(02 of05)
Open Image Modal
Yes, yes, this may sound like a dumb thing to say, but it's only the intervention of the Queen that ensured the children of the Cambridges could use these titles. The Queen issued a Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm in December 2012 when Kate was just a few months' pregnant, declaring "all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of royal highness with the titular dignity of prince or princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour". This nullifed a Letters Patent in 1917, issued by George V, which limited titles within the royal family, meaning a daughter born to William or Kate would not have been an HRH but Lady (forename) Mountbatten-Windsor instead and a second-born son would also have lacked the HRH title and become Lord (forename) Mountbatten-Windsor rather than a prince. William's cousin Princess Eugenie (pictured), who was born in 1990, was the last royal baby to be given the title Princess. (credit:Philip Toscano/PA Wire)
It will be great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria(03 of05)
Open Image Modal
William and Kate's new baby will be a great-grandchild to the Queen and a great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. (credit:Photos.com via Getty Images)
It will be 'spare to the heir'(04 of05)
Open Image Modal
Unlike Prince George, this Prince or Princess will be free from the responsibility of one day having to become monarch and second-born Royals often have less restricted lives. Prince Harry (pictured) has traditionally been dubbed a party prince in contrast to his older brother William. (credit:Jeremy Selwyn/The Evening Standa/WPA-Rota)
The bookies are already betting on the name(05 of05)
Open Image Modal
never one to miss a cash-in opportunity - Paddy Power is taking bets on the name. We don't know the sex, but the bookies are saying Elizabeth is the favourite (credit:Twitter)

Support HuffPost

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your will go a long way.

Support HuffPost

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE