Scientists have found a way to cure morning sickness in pregnant women

Research will still be conducted

A study of the causes of morning sickness in pregnant women showed that the provoking factor in the appearance of extremely unpleasant symptoms is a hormone produced by the fetus. Based on the data obtained, scientists came to the conclusion: you can get rid of this by reducing the level of this hormone or blocking its action.

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Scientists have discovered why many women experience morning sickness during pregnancy, increasing the chances of curing the condition. A study has found that the hormone produced by the fetus is a trigger for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, which in extreme cases may require hospital treatment. It is important to note that women who had naturally low levels of the hormone GDF15 before pregnancy are more sensitive to its surge during pregnancy.

“We now know that women get sick during pregnancy when they are exposed to higher levels of the hormone GDF15 than they are used to,” said Marlena Feizo, clinical assistant professor of population and public health at the Keck School of the University of Southern California.

Nausea and vomiting at some stage of pregnancy, writes The Guardian, occurs in approximately 80% of women. About 2% of women suffer from an extreme form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), which can lead to weight loss, dehydration and hospitalization. However, until now the main cause of diseases in pregnant women was unclear.

Although there are some partially effective treatments for pregnancy sickness, the lack of scientific understanding of the disorder, compounded by fear of using medications during pregnancy, means that many women do not receive adequate treatment.

Recent research provides a wealth of evidence linking these symptoms with GDF15. This suggests that lowering the hormone's levels or blocking its action may prevent the disease. Another approach might be to «prime» women by exposing them to the hormone before pregnancy.

“Most women who become pregnant experience nausea at some point. Although this is unpleasant, for some women it can be much worse — requiring treatment and even hospitalization. Now we know why: a baby growing in the womb produces hormones in quantities that the mother is not used to. The more sensitive she is to this hormone, the worse she will become. Knowing this gives us clues about how we can prevent it,” said Professor Stephen O. Rahilly, co-director of the Wellcome-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Sciences at the University of Cambridge.

GDF15 is produced at low levels in all tissues outside of pregnancy. However, women with a rare mutation in the gene encoding GDF15 have unusually low levels of the hormone outside of pregnancy.

A study published in the journal Nature shows that these women are at greater risk of developing hyperglycemia during pregnancy, when they suddenly exposed to high levels of GDF15. If their fetus also carries the mutation, they are less likely to experience severe symptoms.

Patients with beta thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder that causes chronically high levels of GDF15, are largely protected from pregnancy morning sickness.

The research team also showed in mice that exposing mothers to low levels of GDF15 before pregnancy can help prevent pregnancy illnesses.

The next step will be to test whether giving GDF15 to women before pregnancy can reduce nausea and vomiting or even prevent symptoms.