Scientists have made significant strides in identifying the cause of severe morning sickness in pregnant women.
The root cause has been determined to be a hormone called GDF15, an abbreviation for Growth/Differentiation Factor 15.
According to reports, nearly two-thirds of pregnant women experience varying degrees of nausea or vomiting, commonly known as morning sickness, throughout the day.
Severe forms of morning sickness can lead to weight loss and dehydration, posing risks to both the mother and the unborn child.
Research indicates a connection between GDF15 and morning sickness. The hormone was initially discovered in the late 1990s and was found in 2017 to induce nausea and vomiting in certain stress-related conditions within the body.
Previous studies conducted by Cambridge University revealed higher levels of GDF15 in women suffering from morning sickness.
Similarly, a team from the University of Southern California found that certain gene variants associated with GDF15 could increase the likelihood of severe morning sickness.
The collective efforts of researchers involved in these studies have provided further insights. They observed significantly elevated levels of GDF15 in pregnant women experiencing severe morning sickness compared to those with milder symptoms.
Furthermore, their study, currently awaiting peer review, indicated that women with higher levels of GDF15 in their bloodstream before conception were less prone to severe sickness after becoming pregnant.
These findings suggest the possibility of reducing the risk of severe morning sickness during pregnancy by increasing GDF15 levels in women prior to conception.
The study noted that strategies to safely elevate circulating GDF15 levels before pregnancy could be useful in preventing these conditions.
Some companies are already developing treatments to lower GDF15 levels for other ailments that cause nausea and vomiting.
It is worth noting that the drug thalidomide was used in the 1950s to treat morning sickness but was later linked to serious congenital disorders.
The researchers emphasized the importance of safety in discussions surrounding novel treatments for hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness.
Sumona Saha from the University of Wisconsin-Madison commented that the research has provided compelling evidence linking alterations in GDF15 to hyperemesis gravidarum, expressing interest in the development of therapeutics based on these findings.
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