A new mom had all her teeth removed after throwing up so much during her first pregnancy.
Louise Cooper, from Reading, was told she had to have her teeth removed six months after giving birth because of acid damage from the vomit.
But the 26-year-old, who has since had two more children, claims she is now enjoying her “relaxed” toothless life.
Ms Cooper found out she was pregnant in February 2017 while working as a nanny at a ski resort in France.
A week later, however, her vomiting had become so painful that she had little choice but to return to the UK.
Louise Cooper from Reading, was told she had to have her teeth removed six months after giving birth because of acid damage from the vomit. Pictured after her teeth have been removed
The 26-year-old claimed she threw up so many times over the course of nine months that her teeth started falling out. The barber said, ‘The damage was caused by the acid from the vomiting. I lost my first tooth around 16 weeks and it was just out of the blue.” Six months after the birth of her child, she had all her teeth extracted
When she became bedridden as her symptoms worsened, she was not diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) until two months later in April.
HG, which Kate Middleton was famous for when she carried Prince George and saw her in the hospital, can lead to dehydration, weight loss and serious mental health problems.
Up to one in 30 pregnant women suffer from HG in the UK and US. It causes persistent and excessive nausea and vomiting.
It’s not clear what causes the condition, or why some women get it and others don’t.
Some experts think it may be related to the changes in hormone levels during pregnancy.
And there’s some evidence that it runs in families, and women who caught it in their first pregnancy are more likely to get it in subsequent pregnancies.
Ms Cooper claimed that over the course of nine months she threw up so many times that her teeth started falling out.
When you are sick, stomach acid is put into the mouth, which is needed to break down food. Over time, the substance can erode enamel and teeth.
The barber said, ‘The damage was caused by the acid from the vomiting.
“I lost my first tooth around 16 weeks and it was just out of the blue.
“I was told my teeth had to be removed because they were so damaged.”
Six months after giving birth to her son Zachary, now five, in November 2017, Cooper had her teeth removed.
She has since had two more children: Ollie, now three, and Oakley, 11 months.
The mum-of-three added, “HG will go away when the baby is delivered. However, I had more than one child and I suffered from HG each time.
“I would say my diet isn’t the healthiest because it’s limited against trauma.
“It’s restricted my diet — I don’t eat much meat anymore. I mainly stick to eating vegetables.’
Up to one in 30 pregnant women suffer from HG each year in the UK and US. It causes persistent and excessive nausea and vomiting. It’s not clear what causes the condition, or why some women get it and others don’t. Pictured is Mrs Cooper during her pregnancy
She has since had two more children: Ollie, now three, and Oakley, 11 months. Pictured is Mrs. Cooper with Zachary before she had her teeth removed
The Duchess of Cambridge also suffered from the condition when she was expecting her first child, Prince George, in 2012. She was hospitalized for three days.
She said, “It’s hard to get back into a routine where I understand that food won’t make me vomit again.
“It was very traumatic, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
‘Many people compare it to the side effects of chemotherapy: you feel like you are dying. It’s unpleasant. It’s emotionally and physically draining.”
It wasn’t until the past year — five years since her teeth were first removed — that she’s come to terms with the loss, she said.
Mrs Cooper said, ‘I’ve accepted that I don’t have teeth. I now have dentures, but they are not the most comfortable things to wear because they are cosmetic.
“They’re also very triggering for the traumatic side of HG.”
But, she added, “I can now leave the house with no teeth in it.” Life is more relaxed and more fun for me.’
She said, “Everything has returned to normal. I’ve embraced the fact that I don’t have teeth. I’ve actually only just come to terms with everything in the past year.’