Hormone Research Reveals Potential Morning Sickness Treatment
Morning sickness is a common symptom of pregnancy, affecting a significant number of women worldwide. However, for some, this condition escalates into a severe form known as hyperemesis gravidarum, leading to hospitalization and serious health risks. A recent discovery sheds light on the hormonal cause of this condition, promising new avenues for treatment and understanding. The hormonal culprit: GDF15.
Understanding Morning Sickness
Morning sickness typically involves nausea and vomiting, often seen in the first trimester of pregnancy. Despite its prevalence, there are many misconceptions about its severity and impact on pregnant women’s lives.
Despite its name, morning sickness can occur at any time of the day or night. For many women, it’s not just limited to the morning hours. The intensity of the symptoms can range from mild nausea to severe vomiting, affecting daily activities and overall quality of life. In some cases, women may experience only a slight queasiness, while others might find themselves unable to keep down food or fluids, leading to concerns about proper nutrition and hydration.
The constant feeling of nausea can lead to fatigue, mood swings, and a decrease in appetite, which can be distressing for expectant mothers.
The Hormonal Culprit: GDF15
Recent studies have pinpointed the hormone GDF15 as a primary driver of morning sickness. GDF15, a hormone acting on the brainstem, has been implicated in the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) including its most severe form, Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
The amount of GDF15 circulating in a pregnant woman’s bloodstream directly correlates with the intensity of morning sickness. This connection has been substantiated through various case studies and research findings.
Hyperemesis gravidarum is an extreme form of morning sickness, characterized by relentless vomiting and nausea throughout pregnancy. It poses significant risks, including malnutrition, weight loss, dehydration, and increased chances of preterm birth and pre-eclampsia.
But it’s often overlooked by doctors – probably because morning sickness is so common. Nausea and vomiting affect about 80% of women at some point during pregnancy.
The Journey of Discovery
Dr. Marlena Fejzo’s battle with hyperemesis gravidarum during her pregnancy led to her dedication to researching this condition. Despite facing challenges and skepticism, her perseverance has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of this disease.
“I’ve been working on this for 20 years and yet there are still reports of women dying from this and women being mistreated,” said Dr. Marlena Fejzo.
She experienced this issue firsthand in 1999. She was unable to eat or drink without vomiting, rapidly lost weight, and became too weak to stand or walk.
“We now know why: the baby growing in the womb is producing a hormone at levels the mother is not used to. The more sensitive she is to this hormone, the sicker she will become. Knowing this gives us a clue as to how we might prevent this from happening,” said Prof Sir Stephen O’Rahilly.
The research has brought significant insights into the relationship between GDF15 levels and hyperemesis gravidarum. These findings are crucial for developing targeted treatments.
Laboratory experiments have shown that exposure to GDF15 can lead to desensitization, suggesting potential treatment pathways such as medications that could block its effects. Additionally, existing drugs like metformin, which increases GDF15 levels, might play a role in prevention.
Though of course, we will hopefully find a more natural solution for those who don’t want to first choose pharmaceuticals.
The research indicates that women with a specific genetic mutation face an increased risk of developing hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) during pregnancy due to a sudden surge in GDF15 levels.
However, if the fetus inherits this mutation, the likelihood of the mother experiencing severe symptoms diminishes.
In a similar vein, individuals with beta thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that results in consistently elevated GDF15 levels, generally show resistance to the typical nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy.
Furthermore, the study demonstrated that in mice, pre-pregnancy exposure to low doses of GDF15 could potentially act as a preventative measure against pregnancy sickness.
So, early exposure to GDF15 may be the key to future prevention.
The forthcoming phase of this research aims to explore whether administering GDF15 to women with a history of HG before pregnancy could alleviate or even eliminate the symptoms of nausea and vomiting.
