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. 2025 Jul 3;25(1):720.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-025-07830-7.

Wernicke encephalopathy in pregnancy associated with hyperemesis gravidarum: a case report

Anna Weronika Szablewska #  1 , Agnieszka Czerwińska-Osipiak #  2 , Aleksandra Krawczyk  2 , Radosław Piekarski  3   4
Affiliations

Wernicke encephalopathy in pregnancy associated with hyperemesis gravidarum: a case report

Anna Weronika Szablewska et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Wernicke Encephalopathy is a rare neurological disorder caused by thiamine deficiency, which can occur in pregnant women with severe hyperemesis gravidarum.

Case presentation: This case report describes a 21-year-old primigravida with severe hyperemesis gravidarum leading to Wernicke Encephalopathy, due to thiamine deficiency. The patient experienced cognitive disturbances, followed by neurological symptoms of nystagmus, limb ataxia and postural instability. Following the diagnosis, intravenous thiamine replacement therapy was administered, resulting in gradual neurological improvement.

Conclusions: This case underscores the importance of early identification and treatment of thiamine deficiency in pregnant patients with hyperemesis gravidarum to prevent irreversible neurological damage.

Keywords: Hyperemesis gravidarum; Pregnancy; Thiamine deficiency; Wernicke encephalopathy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: In accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, study approval was obtained from the independent bioethics committee at the Medical University of Gdańsk (KB/528/2024). Consent for publication: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal on request. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Brain MRI images T2-weighted and TIRM T2 sequences coronal (a) and axal (b) planes. The black arrows point to the areas of bilateral medial thalamic hyperintensity
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Brain MRI images T2-weighted and TIRM T2 sequences coronal (a) and axal (b) planes – images after 2 weeks from treatment initiation. The black arrows indicate changes that are less conspicuous compared to the previous images
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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