Morning sickness? *retch*!!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Nausea and vomiting affects SEVENTY percent of pregnant women. It can even cause hospitalization; but why’s it happen?
Enter Marlena Fejzo and the University of Southern California.
First, they analyzed blood from three hundred pregnant women reporting nausea and vomiting. Levels of the hormone GDF15 were higher in those with serious symptoms!
GDF15 is made by BOTH mother and baby. But more than NINETY-NINE percent comes from the baby. Could a protective tolerance to this hormone emerge?
Risk of developing serious symptoms was assessed in another group. And? Those with higher GDF15 levels BEFORE pregnancy were less likely to experience nausea and vomiting during!
Through this, hopefully more effective treatments for morning sickness can be developed.
Finally, a way to keep those pickles and milkshakes down! *GAG* Or not!
Reference: Fejzo, M., Rocha, N., Cimino, I., Lockhart, S. M., Petry, C. J., Kay, R. G., Burling, K., Barker, P., George, A. L., Yasara, N., Premawardhena, A., Gong, S., Cook, E., Rimmington, D., Rainbow, K., Withers, D. J., Cortessis, V., Mullin, P. M., MacGibbon, K. W., Jin, E., … O’Rahilly, S. (2023). GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Nature, 10.1038/s41586-023-06921-9. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06921-9