Breakthrough in study
If the baby makes the mother sick: Cause of pregnancy sickness found
Pregnancy sickness – when every bite becomes torture
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Pregnancy sickness can really spoil the joy of having a baby for expectant mothers. Some pregnant women suffer for months. A team of researchers has now found out why this is and gives those affected hope.
Being pregnant is no walk in the park. Many expectant mothers struggle especially in the first few weeks, as seven to eight out of ten women worldwide suffer from nausea and vomiting. Some of them are so strong that they can’t keep a bite down for weeks, sometimes months. A prominent example: Kate Middleton. During all three pregnancies, the British Crown Prince’s wife was dependent on medication to combat nausea and was given fluids via a drip to combat dehydration.
A lot has been done so far against this extreme form of… Pregnancy sickness, too called hyperemesis gravidarum (HD), don’t align. This could change now. An international team of researchers claims to have found the cause of HG and offers hope for future treatment options.
What exactly is hyperemesis gravidarum?
Some expectant ones mothers Pregnancy sickness is particularly severe. This extreme form is called hyperemesis gravidarum. Those affected have to vomit excessively or the vomiting cannot be stopped. HG usually begins in the sixth week of pregnancy and persists for weeks. Improvement often only occurs from the 20th week onwards, and for some even later.
What causes excessive nausea during pregnancy?
For a long time it was unclear what causes hyperemesis gravidarum. But now an international team of researchers claims to have found the answer. As part of a study, they want to have discovered that a hormone is the culprit. The hormone is called GDF15. It is a so-called growth differentiation hormone, which is produced in low concentrations in many organs. The receptors for GDF15 are located in the area of the brain that is also responsible for nausea and vomiting. During the pregnancy The fetus produces an increased concentration of the hormone in the womb through its own production of GDF15.
The study results suggest that GDF15 levels are a significant factor in nausea during pregnancy. And: The severity of the disease probably depends on the amount of GDF15 that the woman had in her body before pregnancy.”We now know that Women suffer nausea during pregnancy if they are exposed to higher concentrations of the hormone GDF15 than they are used to,” said study leader Marlena Fejzo from the University of Southern California.
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The results have now been published in the journal “Nature”. There have already been indications that GDF15 could be the cause, but they have not been investigated further.
What are the symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum?
From hyperemesis gravidarum Affected pregnant women vomit more than five times a day, regardless of whether there is anything in their stomach or not and regardless of the time of day. Eating and drinking becomes torture.
How many pregnant women are affected by excessive nausea?
The number of affected pregnant women suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum is estimated at 0.5 to 2 percent. It mainly affects young, slim women who don’t smoke and expectant mothers who are expecting twins.
Is hyperemesis gravidarum dangerous?
Because expectant mothers can’t keep anything down, they lose weight, some significantly. A loss of more than five percent of body weight due to hyperemesis gravidarum is not uncommon. Pregnant women also struggle with dehydration.
The consequences include deficiency symptoms, weakness and circulatory problems. With prolonged HG beyond the 20th week of pregnancy, the risk of preeclampsia also increases. HG is the most common cause of women being hospitalized in the first three months of pregnancy.
How do the findings benefit those affected?
So far, pregnant women suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum can do little about the symptoms. On the one hand, because many medications cannot be taken during pregnancy, and on the other hand, because the cause of the disease was not known. The latest findings now offer a starting point for the development of corresponding medications. According to the researchers, it would be conceivable to administer the hormone before pregnancy or to use a drug that blocks the effect of GDF15 in the brain.
Sources: Nature, University Hospital Freiburg, German midwives magazine, Science, BBC