Publish date: 6 May 2025
Alex spoke to our Communications team inside the Garden of Rest at St Bernard’s Hospital.
Alex Martins, mother to a 20-month-old baby girl, found it difficult to enjoy her pregnancy journey due to severe pregnancy sickness, which she initially dismissed as a normal part of the journey. She spent months battling exhausting nausea and then also experienced deep depression and suicidal ideation.
It was not until she reached out for professional help that she discovered she was experiencing a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), a pregnancy complication often marked by extreme nausea, persistent vomiting, and possible dehydration as well as mental health symptoms.
Before her diagnosis, Alex had never heard of the term and felt confused about her mood changes. However, with the right care and support from services like the Maternity trauma and loss care (MTLC), she slowly began to educate herself and better understand what she was going through. Looking back, she feels grateful for having taken the step to seek professional help when she did.
Alex said: “I had both deep depression and suicidal ideation throughout my pregnancy journey. Now I understand just how much HG can affect every part of your life – a woman’s life and mental wellbeing! But, that initial reassurance, that what I was feeling was normal, or common even, really helped me get through."
Having someone professionally trained to talk to, who could not only listen but make her personal experience feel understood and heard, was important for Alex during such a vulnerable time. As a mother who simply wanted a safe and healthy delivery for her child, that support and knowledge around maternal mental health made all the difference.
She added: “I want to spread the word and pass on this knowledge to every pregnant person out there, that there is help available. You are not alone, and it’s not just you.”
You can contact NHS 111 or speak with you GP or Text ‘HUG’ to 85258 for free 24/7 support. Visit the West London NHS Trust perinatal mental health services for more information.