Scientists may have found a cure for morning sickness
Scientists may have uncovered why many women suffer from morning sickness during pregnancy.
Morning sickness affects around 80% of expectant women, and tends to peter out by the second trimester. However, for some pregnant women, it can last until much later in the pregnancy.
Meanwhile, 1% of pregnant women can suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum – an extreme morning sickness that can be so bad, it’s thought around 1000 women a year consider terminating their pregnancy because of it.
However, a new study has revealed a hormone produced by the growing foetus is likely the trigger for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
The hormone is called GDF15, and is made at low levels in all tissues outside pregnancy. But the new research now indicates that women who have naturally low levels of the GDF15 prior to pregnancy tend to be more sensitive to the surge of the hormone in pregnancy.
The study, conducted by University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, now suggests lowering the levels of GDF15, or blocking its action, could result in stopping morning sickness altogether.
“Most women who become pregnant will experience nausea and sickness at some point, and while this is not pleasant, for some women it can be much worse – they’ll become so sick they require treatment and even hospitalisation,” said Prof Sir Stephen O’Rahilly, a co-director of the Wellcome-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science at the University of Cambridge, who led the international collaboration behind the discovery.
“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.”
While there are currently no hard and fast cures for morning sickness, the NHS recommends some simple lifestyle choices that may make things easier.
Getting plenty of rest, eating plain, dry food and drinking plenty of fluid little and often is commonly given advice.
However, if you find yourself really struggling, it's important to seek advice from a GP or medical professional.
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